Fresh Start
by DarkNaruto21
Summary: Tayuya thought her life was over. Naruto thought he would never find another friend. After defeating Sasuke Naruto returned to the village awaiting to be received as a hero, but he is punished unfairly instead. Join Naruto as he tries to find a new meaning to life with his new found friend. Naruto X Tayuya. Rated M for language and Violence.
1. Prologue

**FRESH START**

That is my first attempt with a fanfic. Please, Review.

**SUMMARY**: After defeating Sasuke, Naruto returns to the village waiting to be received as hero. But even with the success of the mission he is still badly treated by the village. Tired, Naruto decides to flee. Will Naruto succeed in get a new life?

This is the translated version of my Fiction that was originally in Portuguese. Sorry if the grammar sucks.

**DISCLAIMER**: Naruto doesn't belong to me.

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

Naruto continued to pass quickly among the trees towards Konoha. He looked slightly towards the unconscious companion in his arms, a small concern passed in his head. 'Did I exaggerate? I knew that I needed to bring him back to the village at any cost, but it was really necessary to leave him in this condition? 'His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden recollection of a scene that will probably never leave his memory. The vision of this same person, which until that moment was considered as his best friend, leaving him a hole on his chest, courtesy of Chidori. Remembering the vision Naruto closed his eyes and in his face appeared signs of sorrow. For all his life Naruto always had just one desire. To have a friend. Somebody that cared about him without asking anything in exchange. For one moment he really thought Sasuke would be that person, but after the events of this day he was sure that the only things that he cared about were power and revenge.

Naruto then began remembering of the events of the day, as each companion of his team was separated in individual fights. He twisted his face, trying to remove the bad predictions that came in his mind. Predictions that said that all of them were dead except for him. 'No they are alive, all of them. I am sure. 'He thought, his face contorting in a false smile, trying to hide of himself his fear that something was wrong. That the persons that he considers precious for him were not there anymore. He looked once again at the companion that he was carrying, but this time his face was not more of concern but of rage. 'Damned! You better hope that nobody got hurt, or else nothing will stop me from ending with your life. '

Continuing his line of thoughts, Naruto almost didn't notice what had happened with part of the forest to his side. "What the hell?" Naruto said aloud. He could not believe what his eyes were showing. A part of the forest was literally put below. The face of Naruto twisted in fear, this was the exact the point where he had left Shikamaru struggling against that redheaded person of foul mouth. Stopping on top of a trunk Naruto examined the damage better, trying to find any sign indicating what could have happened. The boy then heard a small moan of pain. He looked around trying to find where that sound had come out, he heard the same cry again, only that this time it was louder. Having gotten to distinguish of the where the cry had come out he went heading for the place, having first left the Uchiha leaned against a tree and making a clone to guard him. Pulling a kunai of his pocket, only for precaution, he began approaching the place of where he had listened that cry. A smile appeared in his face, when noticing that was not one of his own companions but a girl of red hair that he soon had recognized as the one that tried to prevent them of saving Sasuke. Naruto approximated carefully of her thinking about what to do. He faced the kunoichi for a time, soon noticing the damage in her body. Her legs clearly suffered a lot of damages because of the trunk that fell on top of her. Because of the blood leaving her mouth he reached the conclusion that she was probably with internal bleeding and also even if she looked unconscious her face showed clear signs of a lot of pain. 'Who ordered her to try to kidnap Sasuke? She deserves to suffer. 'Thought Naruto. But looking at her face better Naruto lost his smile, it was a sad face, a face full of agony, a face that reminded of him a long time ago. He felt sorry for the girl even if she was an enemy. 'Maybe is best to end her suffering?' Thought Naruto, soon rejecting that consideration. He would never have the courage of killing somebody defenseless not even if she was an enemy. Naruto noticed that he didn't have a lot of options, so he bent over and tried to move the trunk of the girl's legs.

"What devils do you think that you are doing, bastard?" The girl screamed, surprising Naruto that thought that she was unconscious. Looking at her face he noticed that was red of rage.

"What do you think? I am saving you." He answered.

"I don't need any fucking help of an shit-head like you." She screamed once again, if it was possible she seemed more irritated.

"If you don't need my help, why don't you leave by yourself then?" Naruto said crossing his arms.

The girl looked at him full of rage, murmuring a lot of unspeakable things, many of them he didn't even knew the meaning. She tried to lift the trunk with the only arm that was still good, moaning in pain while forcing her body above the limits; even so the trunk didn't move. Looking at her, Naruto for one moment really believed that that girl would really lift that trunk, but even with all her effort, her body was not even close to the necessary conditions for that task. She continued until when her body gave away, falling in the ground victim of the agonizing pain and of the exhaustion. Naruto looked at her admiring the effort done by her, even if was just to try to prove a point.

"Do you still think that you don't need any help?" He said with a smirk in the face.

"Shut up! Just go ahead and finish me, or just leave me alone, shit-head. "She said, this time with a weak voice.

Naruto shook his head in sight of the girl's persistence. He bent over again, even to the sounds of her curses, to try to remove the trunk on top of her body. After certain effort he finally got to remove the trunk from her, throwing it to the side. The Kunoichi breathed a sigh of relief because of the removal of the weight that was on her legs.

"And now, what fucking you plan to do with me, your dumb fuck?" The girl spoke irritated. His patience was really running thin. After everything that he had done she was still swearing at him. He hated that, she remembered him of the villagers that even after everything that he did for them they still looked him with contempt.

"You really are an ungrateful bitch, aren't you?"

" WHAT DID YOU CALL ME? You son of a bitch, Who... "The girl screamed to the top of her lungs, which was interrupted when she cough up some blood. The girl let out a scream of pain putting the hand immediately in her abdomen while she breathed sporadically. The look of Naruto changed clearly for one of concern; he had forgotten that she probably had internal damage. He moved quickly to try to aid the girl. Using a healing jutsu of analyzes that the Hokage had taught him, he confirmed that she really had internal bleeding that would end up killing her if he didn't do something. Acting fast he transferred chakra to his hands and began the treatment, the girl utter a cry of pain while he passed his hands on her wounds, after a certain time her breathing was more regular. Noticing that the girl life wasn't more at immediate risk, he stopped the treatment.

"Well, I think you are save now." Naruto said looking at the girl that was at that moment looking at him with a skeptic expression. She couldn't believe he was helping her. Why would someone that is her enemy save her? Unless.... Her face became pure fury. He didn't care for her, certainly he only wanted her alive because this way he would take her to the village and she would supply every type of information, and when she had told everything that she knew, after several sessions of tortures, they would probably kill her or leave her to deteriorate in the prison. She looked at him laughing.

"You saved me? Is this that you really think, dumb ass? The maximum that you did was to increase some days my fucking life. If you take me to that shit thing that you call village, I will pass the remain of my fucking life in a prison being tortured. That is, if I don't have the luck of that gay Orochimaru to meet me first and kill me. It was better to have left me for dying, shit-head."

Naruto looked at her. In spite of her smiling for all the moment, he could see the fear clearly in her eyes. It was the type of fake smile that he recognized. 'She is afraid. Like me when I were little. And as well as me she disguises smiling, as if she didn't fear anything. Yes she is afraid' Naruto knew that wouldn't matter what he did, she would end being tortured and later executed. He shook his head with that thought, he didn't knew the reason, but he didn't want that to happen to her, even if she was an enemy. He needed to think fast because probably, the ANBU was already in search of them, and if they found her here they would kill her at the spot. He thought arduously about his options, he had already disregarded surrender her. He knew very well what would happen if he did that, he remembered the first phase of the Chunin exam and he still have tremors when he remembers of the scars shown by the instructor. He couldn't also leave her here, since even if somebody of the sound found her first, she would probably find the same end. After thinking for certain time he had an idea. He bent over and started to lift her in the bride style.

"What fuck do you think that you are doing, asshole? Let me go!"

Don't worry. I won't turn you in; I will hide you in my apartment until you get better. Then you can do whatever you want." Her chin almost fell to ground with surprise. She didn't believe in what he had just said. He would hide her? He would risk his ninja career or even worst his own life just for her. No, she didn't believe in what he said. He would want something in exchange. He was probably just another pervert that wanted to take advantage of her. Just like him.

"So spell out shit-head? What do you want? "

"What?"

"You really believe that I am stupid. That a fucking ninja like you, doesn't want nothing in exchange for helping me?"

"No, I don't want anything in exchange. I am doing that, because my ninja way is to always help the other" Naruto thought about what he had just said, noticing that was a lie. He didn't really wait for anything in exchange for helping her, but he actually didn't know the reason. On the other side the girl has shown obviously surprise with his answer. How did this guy succeed in being a ninja? Ninjas shouldn't have compassion since that would turn them weak. But in front of her that person did want to help her only for the pleasure to help? She still didn't believe it, everything must be just a trick to lower her defenses. But she didn't have any choice, was that or certain death. She nodded and rested her head in his chest.

"Ah yes! My name is Naruto. What is yours?"

"... It is Tayuya."

"Good Tayuya, you don't need to worry anymore, I will protect you that is a promise for a lifetime. And Uzumaki Naruto always accomplishes what he promises." Tayuya snorted. Naruto didn't like the reaction even so he let it go. He called the clone that was keeping Sasuke, which soon appeared with the same.

"Y-y-you got to stop him? How?" Tayuya asked with surprise.

"Of course, I said that always accomplish what I promise." Tayuya looked at him with a gaze almost similar to one of admiration. The fact of Uchiha was still alive indicates clearly that he reached until the second level of the cursed seal, and even so he beat him. That also reminded her that they failed the mission, so there weren't more chances of her to be forgiven by Orochimaru. Yeah, she was really fucked.

Naruto began to return for Konoha, with the clone carrying Sasuke in the front and him with Tayuya soon behind. During the trip Naruto began to tell her all of the facts of his fight with the Uchiha (Of course, failing to mention the fact of the help of a certain fox), he spent minutes speaking to her almost failing in noticing that she had already fallen asleep in his arms. In the beginning he was angry with her for simply ignoring him, but later he reminded himself that she should probably be exhausted. Looking at her sleeping, she even seemed beautiful. Naruto began to think if he was really doing the right thing. To hide an enemy ninja would practically be a betrayal. And the citizens of Konoha already didn't see him with good eyes, imagine when they discovered that he was hiding a enemy. It was not really the smartest thing to do. But since when Uzumaki Naruto is known for doing smart things?


	2. A Hateful Punch

**A/N****: ** First, thanks for the reviews. It really helps to have support when writing your first fiction. Some of the reviews were complaining about the censorship so I decided to remove it. One review was also complaining of the grammar. Like I said my grammar sucks but this time I asked my brother to review the text before sending it. He is better in grammar than me so I hope it's better now.

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Chapter 1**

A large smile opened in Naruto mouth when the sight of the walls of the Hidden Leaf Village appeared into his eyes. A vision which he became used to since the first day that he came back from a mission. For him it was always exciting to return from a successful mission and the reason was very simple, the more successful missions he did more the villagers would grow to accept him. It was this recognition that he looked above all things. It was for this reason that his biggest dream was to be Hokage. That was the position of more respect than any citizen of the village could ever achieve. That was the truth, the reason that he wanted to be Hokage was not just the position in itself, but also the fact that to get it the people would have to accepted him.

Naruto looked back, towards the objective of his completed mission, Uchiha Sasuke, and he couldn't hold his smile. He had completed a class A mission at least and not only that he had just saved the favorite genin of the village. He had the small hope that finally the people would begin to accept him, that the people would stop seeing him just as the bearer of the Fox of nine tails and would start to see him as how he really was, a human being. Maybe even Sakura would begin to treat him better after this. Thinking this way made him feel a little bit of guilty. Mainly because he still didn't know what had happened with the remaining of his teammates. He already had passed by the places where the battles had been fought, but he hadn't found any sign of bodies anywhere. Therefore he still had a little concern, which he quickly removed of his head. Because in the bottom of his heart he knew that they were well.

Naruto stopped at some meters of the entrance of the village. Far away enough so that he and his clone weren't seen by the guards that kept the entrance. Looking at the girl in his arms he began to question if she really deserved the whole problem that she would bring him, but to see her sleeping in his chest just brought a smile in his face. She seemed so peaceful, very unlike from when she was awake swearing at everything that appeared at her front. He still didn't know if she really deserved what he would sacrifice for her, but it didn't matter for him, he would do it anyway. With that thought in his mind he put her against a tree, carefully so he wouldn't awake her.

"I will have to carry Sasuke. It would be very risky to leave a clone deliver him, he would be probably discovered." Naruto said to his clone, which nodded while giving him the heir of Uchiha and soon afterwards moved to catch the kunoichi.

"Use the agitation caused by my entrance, to pass through the wall, then proceed directly to the apartment and wait there until I return. Did you understand?" The clone nodded and soon disappeared in the middle of the forest.

When approaching the gate, Naruto got to distinguish two people. One was a girl of pink short hair and with a dress of the same color; the other had blond hair and a blue dress. Recognizing both of them, a smile appeared in his face. One of the biggest reasons that he wanted the success of that mission so much was because of her. He didn't care that she liked his rival more than him. He only wanted her to be happy, and if that meant to bring the stupid Uchiha back, then that was what he would do. And it was exactly what he did.

"Sakura-Chan!" Naruto called it a large smile in his face, while he waived with his hand. The two girls' answer was to run at his direction, both with tears in the eyes.

"Sasuke-Kun!!" They spoke, while they pulled the unconscious boy from Naruto arms.

"W-w-what happened to him?" Sakura asked, while carefully examining Sasuke.

"Well, he didn't want came by himself then..."

"YOU DID THIS TO SASUKE-KUN? HOW COULD YOU?" Screamed Ino, interrupting the explanation of the blond ninja.

"W-w-wait, it is not like that. I had to...." Naruto didn't get to finish the explanation, because on that moment a strong punch in his face thrown him against a tree. Recovered of the impact Naruto saw his teammate standing in front of him. She was one of the most precious people for him in his life, the same person that he risked his life to save her of the bearer of Shukaku. The same person for what he would do anything humanly possible to make her happy. The same person that was now with tears in her eyes staring at him with the maximum of hate that a person can put in one look.

"YOUR BASTARD, HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU HURT SASUKE-KUN LIKE THIS? HE WOULD NEVER MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO YOU. I HATE YOU! I HOPE YOU DIE! MONSTER!" The words of Sakura hurt much more than any punch that he had received in all his cruel life. More than all the countless beatings that he had received though his childhood. His eyes couldn't hold more the tears that were now falling freely, while all his body went trembling. Memories of his past passed in his head. Memories of the countless times that he had listen to similar words.

"S-S-Sakura-chan y-y-you don't understand. He attacked me first. I had to..." Naruto tried to explain, but it was in vain.

"SHUT UP, YOU LIAR SON OF A BITCH!" Sakura Screamed, while she dashed straight to Naruto with her fists closed, only to be held by the ANBU agent that was nearby the scene.

"Calm down! That fight between you two isn't helping in anything the situation of the Uchiha; we have to take him to the hospital right now". Sakura nodded, and then run in direction of her beloved Sasuke that was on that moment at the care of another ANBU agent. The ANBU caught Uchiha and began to run in direction of the Hospital with the rest of the people in the place following him, leaving Naruto and the remaining agent of the ANBU alone.

"And you. The Hokage is waiting for you on this exact moment." The ANBU agent said to Naruto, which noticed in his voice a light sign of anger. Naruto that was still slightly shaky because of the words said to him started to stand up. Words of the past echoed in his mind and increased more his pain.

_'__I will kill you, you monster! '_

'_Kill him, don't let him escape'_

_'Die demon!'_

After using the sleeve of his shirt to clean the tears that were still falling, Naruto try to recompose the best that he could in that situation, leaving then towards the Hokage tower.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Hokage stared the boy that was in her front once again. The boy continued to look at all costs at the ground avoiding the woman's look, as if he was ashamed of something.

"Naruto, I will ask once again. What did happen? Why are you like this?" The Hokage Asked.

"It's nothing." Naruto lied. Tsunade had asked that question at least three times already and she always received the same answer. Since Naruto had arrived some time ago and began telling what had happened during the mission he was like this, upset. The only moment in what he forced a smile was when she said that all of his teammates had survived, and even so it was a weak smile accompanied by a, "I already knew". She didn't get to understand the reason he was like this, but she thought it was better not to force Naruto for the time being. She knew Naruto and she knew that he would only tell her when he was ready, for the moment she would have to investigate a little to see if she discovered something.

"How is Sasuke?" Asked Naruto in a low and tremble voice.

" He is not in risk of dying, if it is that that you want to know. He has some broken bones and he will need some months to recover, out of that he will be fine." Tsunade answered.

"Oh! Great." Naruto spoke, still with it a low voice.

"Naruto, this was not your fault. You said that he attacked you first. If it wasn't for your cure factor I don't want to know that would have happened. You did what was necessary for the mission and nothing else than that." Tsunade said.

"I know, Oba-Chan. Even so..." Naruto began to say.

"Naruto, don't make this with yourself. The result of this mission was perfect. You got to recover Sasuke facing enemies that were much stronger than you and even so nobody died." Tsunade said, trying to encourage the boy. The answer of Naruto was just a weak smile, which lasted for small instants and then he turned back to his depressed face again.

"Well, I think is everything for today. You are free to go. I think you will want to see your friends, Right?" Naruto shook his head.

"No. I will see them tomorrow morning, for now I will go home." He answered. Actually he wanted to see his friends, but they could wait. On that moment he was more concerned with Tayuya, which was on that moment alone with his clone. He still didn't know if her life was still out of danger and he feared that something of bad could happen if he didn't return right away. Tsunade lifted her eyebrows, she hoped that Naruto would went running to see his friends, but seeing as he was so depressed, she thought the best for him was to rest.

"Well, return at nine tomorrow to finish our conversation." Naruto nodded, and then left the room leaving Tsunade alone with her thoughts.

* * *

_She tried to move, but she find out she couldn't, he was much stronger than her and all her efforts were in vain. The man's arms held the poor child of only 7 years old against the bed, his eyes, full of lust, stared her. _

_"Please, stop!" The child said with tears in the eyes._

_"C'mon darling, you know that you like this." The man answered. The small girl closed her eyes. That was not the first time and __like __every other time she implored for him to stop, but he never stopped and like the others times __she asked for help that never came. The man began slowly to remove his shirt, while the girl closed her eyes waiting for the inevitable._

"_Calm down darling, you wil__l…" The Man began to say before his voice was interrupted. The small girl still too much scared to open her eyes felt small drops of a fluid fall in her face. With some courage she opened her eyes slightly to see what had happened. Her eyes went wide with the vision that she came across. Her stepfather, the person that had brought her so much pain, was on that moment with a face of both surprise and pain caused by the fine blade that crossed through his chest. He looked back facing the origin of the blow, a boy a little older than her. The Boy eyes stared the man, completely afraid of what he had done. _

_"You stupid brat. Why...." These were the man's final words, before he closed his eyes. Seeing that the man was finally dead the boy removed the blade of his chest, making the same to fall to the side. He then started to face her, with the same afraid glance which she looked at him. Collecting some force the girl gave a light smile._

_"Thank you, nii-chan." The girl said, receiving a nice smile of her brother._

"_WHAT DID YOU DO__, BASTARD?" Both they turned to look at the origin of the scream, a woman red-headed like both children. She held a bottle of wine strongly in her hand. Her eyes showed an immeasurable rage._

_"I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU BOTH" Screamed the woman that soon later broke the bottle in the wall, now with a mortal weapon in the hand, she __started to dash in the direction of the boy. The girl looked at her brother, his eyes staring in the woman's eyes, while he slightly lifted the instrument that he held. When the woman arrived close he made a fast __move down. Her last vision was of a red stain appearing in her eyes, blinding her temporarily._

Tayuya opened her eyes slowly. She looked at the place where she was, which seemed to be a small room. 'Shit, where the devils am I? 'She thought, while she continued to examine the place, until that the memory of the previous day arrived in her head. 'I must be in the fucking room of that shit-head. So that bastard really did what he promised. 'She thought. Until that moment she still have doubts, in her mind, if that blond bastard was really being true with her or not. She thought about calling the shit-head, but she couldn't raise her voice high enough. She was still extremely tired so she closed her eyes to enter once again in the world of the dreams.

* * *

The Hokage of Konoha, Tsunade, couldn't endure anymore. She knew that she couldn't struggle with the high numbers of reports that needed urgently of her signature, because whenever she finished signing all of them, there comes Shizune with a pile even larger. So she found a simple and effective solution, she would simply leave the pile to increase. That is until Shizune discover, complain with her and force her to sign all of the reports before she could leave.

When she heard two knocks on the door, she lifted her head of the paper pile where it has been resting a little moment ago. The movement got one of the papers stuck on her face and it was quickly removed by the Hokage herself.

"Come in." She said lazily. The door opened up to show Shizune carrying the Hokage pet, the pig Tonton. The assistant begin to speak, when she noticed the great amount of untouched reports on top of the table. Noticing the anger on the face of her assistant she lifted her shoulders in defense.

"What?" The Hokage asked. Her assistant shacked her head, she knew that she couldn't do anything to convince the Hokage on that moment, but she would certainty stay after work hours to sign all that reports, even if she had to force her.

"Hokage-sama, two ANBU agents want to speak with you." The Hokage simply waived her hand, giving the clue for Shizune to leave the room.

The two agents ANBU entered shortly after, bending in reference to Hokage that with a sign of her hand ordered them to get up

"Hokage-sama, we are the agents that were ordered to recover the bodies of the members of the sound four. We recovered two bodies with success, and another one was brought by a shinobi of the sand, but the last one...., well we didn't get to find him anywhere." The eyebrows of the Hokage rose.

"The body of what member you didn't get to find." Asked the Hokage, that had a small knowledge of the members of the sound four due to her conversations with Shikamaru and Naruto.

"The body of the female of the group, also in the place where supposedly her body was we find this." Respond the ANBU agent, which then caught an object of his pocket showing to the Hokage. It was a flute, which was irreparably broken in two. Hokage looked the flute for an instant. She had heard from that lazy brat that the kunoichi that he had faced used a flute as a weapon, but according to his reports she should be dead. Even if she had survived the attack described by Shikamaru, that she doubted a lot, she wouldn't be able to barely move.

"We also found stains of blood in the place. In my opinion there isn't anything to worry about, her body was probably recovered by a squadron of the sound." The ANBU completed. Tsunade agreed that it was plausible, but for some reason she simply was not sure. If it was really the squadron of the sound that had recovered the girl's body they would never have forgotten of catching her flute. There were two possibilities the first one that was more plausible, was that they were in hurry and they didn't have time of recovering the flute. The second one was that it wasn't the squadron of the sound, what probably indicated that she would be still alive. In spite of being a remote possibility Tsunade was never know for running risk.

"I want a squadron of ANBU to search in the surroundings of the village; I also want the safety inside of the village reinforced. If for some fortune she is alive, I want her to be brought alive, if possible." Ordered the Hokage.

"Hai Hokage-sama." Respond the two ANBU agents that soon afterwards left the room. The Hokage looked once again at the flute that the agent of ANBU had left in her table. She had a bad premonition. Something of strange was happening and she would discover what was.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Naruto opened the door, this way showing his apartment that was not very sophisticated and it was composed only of a bedroom, a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom. Actually Naruto never really cared much about, since he only used the apartment to sleep. When entering in the living room, he noticed that his clone was resting in the sofa watching TV. The clone looked at him with an alarmed face, and it was not for less. The face of Naruto could not hide the sadness and bitterness that his heart felt on that moment. His eyes still red because of the tears spilled, until they worn out, his body still trembling of the memories that devastated his mind again. The clone faced him for some seconds, until disappearing amid a smoke. On that moment Naruto recollected all of the memoirs left by the clone and begun moving for the bedroom. The vision with him ran across gave him a small smile, one of the few since he arrived at the village. The kunoichi was lying on her back, with her arms and legs stretch out occupying the whole bed. Of her wide opened mouth leaved a small saliva thread and a low snore. Naruto was there contemplating the scene for a time, and for that moment he could forget momentarily all of the problems of the day. After certain time, he finally got to leave going to the bathroom. After a slow bath, the boy left the bathroom in his pajamas and deciding to jump the meal since he was deadly tired he went direct to the sofa, throwing himself at him.

In spite of being extremely tired, Naruto find out that he couldn't sleep. In his head the same scene repeated again and again. The scene, that happened some hours ago, of one of his precious friends screaming at him. After a long time when it finally seemed that he will would get to fall in the sleep, a scream killed any hope of that to happen.

"HEY, SHITHEAD!" Naruto tried to ignore the scream but the scream was followed for others.

"WHERE ARE YOU, SHITHEAD? GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OVER HERE!" Getting up slowly of the sofa and still mentally and physically exhausted, Naruto moved slowly towards the bedroom.

"You Know, we are in an apartment so I think you should low your tone." Naruto said. The kunoichi looked at him fuming, if there is something that Tayuya didn't like, It was someone saying her what to do.

"I SPEAK IN THE FUCK TONE I WANT, DUMBASS!" Tayuya screamed even higher. Naruto looked at her cleaning his ears.

"Well, I would like to remember you that you are supposed to be hidden and if you keep screaming like this it won't be long until the whole ANBU listen." Naruto argued, with a smile in his face. The kunoichi looked away of him while babbling several curses that were at least low. Naruto seeing that he had at least succeeded in keep her voice low continued.

"Well, what do you want?" Naruto asked. The face of Tayuya blushed extremely; she then said something too low and too fast for Naruto to listen.

"What?" Naruto asked. The kunoichi sighed, and then she repeated this time a little higher.

"I need go to the fucking bathroom." Naruto tried to understand what she wanted to say with that until he remembered the damages in her legs. His face blushed at the same color that Tayuya's hair.

"Well...., W-w-what exactly you want me to do?" Naruto asked fearing the answer. Tayuya blushed even more. She didn't believe that he would force her to say what exactly to do.

"What do you think asshole? Do it seem that I can fucking walk, you shithead?" She almost screamed, but held it in the end. Naruto, that was still red of shame, began to scratch the head since he still hadn't fully understood what exactly he would have to do. Noticing his uncertainty she completed.

"And don't think about doing anything, pervert. You only need to take me there, the rest I will do it fucking alone." Naruto nodded, relieved that he would only need to take her to the bathroom and nothing else. He proceeded to grab her, but then he noticed the state that the clothes of the kunoichi were.

"I think you should take a bath." Naruto said, without fully notice the implication of his words. Tayuya looked at him with a glance that said "I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU", and it was on that moment that Naruto noticed exactly what he had said.

"I-I-I didn't mean you stink or anything like that." Naruto noticed that his words didn't help in anything to improve his situation; in fact it seemed that the girl's rage had increased even more. For the first time, in a good time, Naruto began to fear for his own life. Naruto thought fast in what he should say next, since to say the wrong word it would be his funeral.

"Look I only said that you looked tired and that a bath will help you to relax and also I don't think you want to sleep with the clothes that you are wearing." Naruto said lifting his arms in defense. It seemed that he said the right words, since the girl proceeded to look to her own clothes and snorted.

"And what I would dress, dumbass?" Tayuya asked, not fully relived of her anger yet. Naruto thought a little and soon opened his closet catching a pair of orange and white pajamas, identical to the one he was using right now. Tayuya sweat drooped thinking if he had only a kind of clothe. Naruto then proceeded to grab the kunoichi that stretched out her arm to his neck then lifting her. He contemplated her, while he held her, clearing noticing that she was irritated for being carried. On that exact moment Tayuya looked at him and both of them changed glances, and both blushed immediately.

"Why are you looking at me, pervert?" Tayuya snapped. Naruto quickly break his glance. Luckily he escaped of giving any explanation when he arrived at his destiny. Naruto put her gently in the bathtub leaving the bathroom quickly before she could say anything.

"Well if you want some......" Naruto was saying, before being interrupted by the noise of the door being hit at his face.

Naruto scratched the head wondering what he should do now. His question was answered by the sound of his stomach so he proceeded for the kitchen. He caught the only food that he had in his apartment, ramen. Reminding that Tayuya had not eaten also he caught two portions and then began to prepare them. While he was preparing the food, Naruto turned his thought to kunoichi that had on that exact moment turned on the water of the bathtub. He still didn't know the extension of her wounds, and he still wasn't sure if she was really out of danger. Unfortunately he could not take her to the hospital and neither look for help, in other words; he would have to do the whole treatment by himself. But he would need help of somebody that at least knew something of medicine. Oba-chan couldn't help, since she was Hokage and her duty was with the village first. He would need somebody that liked him and that would not ask many questions. In his head a name appeared, making Naruto almost jump of joy. She would help him if he asked and she wouldn't tell anything to Oba-chan. Happy for having found the solution Naruto continued with the preparation of the ramem. After certain time it was finally ready and he resisted his urges of eating and waited for Tayuya.

On that moment Tayuya relaxed by the hot water that washed her body, she was still recovering of the pain caused by some simple actions like removing her clothes and to move into the bathtub. She felt humiliated seeing her own weakness. A day ago she was one of the members of the sound four an elite unit working for Lord Orochimaru, now she was only a useless girl that couldn't even move right. A tear threatened to leave her eyes, when she thought in what she had became. She hated to be useless; she hated to need somebody to help her. It was for that reason that she had sold the soul for Orochimaru, he gave her the means of defending herself, and since that day she promised to herself that she would never again ask for help. But there was her, needing help to go to the fuck bathroom. Tayuya tried to reach the shampoo that was in the right border of the bathtub. She let out a low cry of pain caused by the movement of her arm that was in a pretty bad shape. Resisting the pain she finally reached the shampoo and then proceeded to wash her hair.

While she was washing her hair, her thoughts turned in a line that she didn't want to arrive, the future. She didn't have the fuck idea of what to do now, certainty she couldn't return since that would result in certain death. She also couldn't stay there; even if that blond fuck let her, since sooner or later somebody would find her and it would be her end. She would probably have to begin again at another village, but she knew that this was a distant dream since as soon as Orochimaru discovered that she was alive he would hunt her without rest. Shaking her head to remove the thoughts of the future that was starting to scare her, she proceeded in removing the plug of the bathtub leaving the water to leak. Catching the towel, she began drying off a process that has shown incredibly painful. Finally she throwed the towel to the side and started to look at the next step in the process of dressing, to wear her clothes. She got ready mentally; finally prepared she caught the clothes and started the long and painful process of wearing them. The fact of just have a good arm didn't aid in anything the difficult fight that she did with the clothes. She loosened a sigh of relieve when she finally finished getting dressed. With difficulty she moved for the border of the bathtub.

"HEY SHITHEAD!! I DON'T HAVE THE FUCKING WHOLE DAY!" Screamed Tayuya. Naruto moved quickly to the bathroom, not wanting to let her even more nervous for make her waiting. Opening the door of the bathroom, Naruto moved to catch the girl.

"Are you hungry? I made ramen." Naruto asked.

"Let's see, I didn't eat anything since that blonde whore throwed the fucking forest at me and that was the more than a fuck day ago. Then, I think I am hungry, Dumb Ass!" Tayuya snapped. Naruto looked at her with an annoyed look. After everything that he had done she still continued to scream at him. She continued to treat him as garbage. She reminds him of Sakura and that left him with more anger, and for the first time he was regretting to save her. He put her in the chair of the dining room, and served the plates without even attempt to look at her. On that moment Tayuya began feeling badly and she didn't fully understand the reason. She always used her swearing as a defense mechanism to move away the people before they could hurt her. And now she did the same with him and finally she got exactly what she wanted, then why it felt so bad? Because it was the first time in a long time that somebody truly cared for her and even so she shoved him away? The rest of the meal passed fast without any of them exchange any look. Finally when the two finished Naruto without any word, carried her to the bedroom and lied her down in the bed and still quiet started to leave.

"Naruto!" She called. He stopped in the door, totally surprise of the fact that the kunoichi had used his name. He turned to look at her.

"T-t-thank you, for everything." She said. Naruto smiled at her, noticing how it had been hard for her to say something so simple.

"You are welcome, Tayuya-chan" He said.

"CHAN?" She screamed, red of rage.

"I-i-I sorry , it just come out." Naruto plead as he lifted the arms in defense. Tayuya made the maximum possible to calm her down and not totally crush him. He was one of the few peoples that treated her nice and she wouldn't ruined this by killing him. After looking at him with a glance that promised every pain of the world if he said that again, she closed her eyes.

"Good night, Tayuya" Said Naruto. She opened the eyes trying to remind of the last time that somebody said good night for her. Trying to remember when somebody was so good to her.

"Good night, shi... Naruto" She said, letting a weak smile before closing her eyes.

Naruto looked at her with the smile in his face, it was the first time that he had seen her smile since he met her. Lying down in the sofa, he had already forgotten all about the aching events of the day, the only thing that he saw was the image of certain kunoichi smiling and for some weird motive he couldn't take out that image of his head. With that in mind he slept calmly, without knowing that in the bedroom, certain girl also slept calmly being unable to remove the smile on her face.


	3. Visiting Some Friends

**A\N:** At last the second chapter is finished, it took longer than i expected. I hope you liked it and please review it.

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto. If i did Tayuya would be alive.

* * *

**CHAPTER 2  
**

Naruto looked at a very pissed Hokage, thinking how the hell he would do to escape of her wrath. He couldn't just explain that the reasons for him to arrive so late belonged to a red headed enemy kunoichi that happens to be hiding inside his house at that exact moment. He wanted to explain that Tayuya, which had awaken in a very bad mood, broken his alarm clock before he could be awaken by the buzzing of the same and not only that, when he finally awakens, already three hours late, she screamed with him saying that he couldn't just leave her there alone with nothing to eat. After a very heated argument, he finally granted her wishes and spent some precious minutes preparing her a breakfast, and still then she didn't even thanked him for his hard work. Pissed, he leaved the house, leaving an also pissed Tayuya and went at his fastest pace to the Hokage tower, just to find himself in his current situation.

"Naruto, I am very disappointed with you. When someone important as the Hokage marks an appointment, YOU CAN'T BE FOUR HOURS LATE!!" The Hokage said, screaming at the end of the sentence. Naruto looked at the floor, trying to avoid the evil glare of the Hokage. He scratched his ears, which were still hurting because of the very long lecture, thinking how long it would still take.

"Being late is very unshinobi, Naruto. You should be more professional" Both the Hokage and Naruto glared angrily at the speaker, a silver haired Jounin, wearing a mask and with his forehead protector covering his left eye. He looked away of the book that he was reading, which he haven't take his eyes off since Naruto had arrived.

"What?" Kakashi asked, while lifting his shoulders. Both the Hokage and Naruto frowned thinking of how hypocrite someone could be. The Hokage shacked her head before turning to Naruto.

"Well I think that you heard enough." The Hokage said. Naruto sighed of relief seeing that the scold was finally over.

"I can't talk to you right now, but I still want to talk to you, so return tomorrow at the same time and this time, DON'T BE LATE! Naruto weakly nodded with a little fear in his face, and then began to leave the room.

Tsunade sighed and then proceed to look at the Jounin that she has just began talking, before Naruto desperately came in breaking through the window.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Kakashi questioned, without take out his gaze of the book.

"I didn't want to worry him. If I had told him he would pass the rest of the day thinking about it, it wouldn't help him." She explained.

"Maybe, but even so he still deserved to know, he isn't a kid anymore hiding things from him won't help him either." He said. Tsunade didn't express any reaction; she had too many thoughts in her heads for that, thoughts about the events that happened early.

************

"_WHAT DID YOU__ JUST SAID?" Both the councilors turned paled __seeing the reaction of the Hokage. They already expected a bad reaction, but not one so intense. She was staring them with a face red of anger, her eyes clearly showing her killing intent making they truly believe that she would actually kill them right at the spot. Homura cleared his throat before continuing._

"_Like I said, the council decided to summon Uzumaki Naruto for a hearing regarding the outcome of his last mission." Tsunade look intently at him, trying to find any reasons to not kill him._

"_Hearings a__re just used when the outcome of the mission is a failure, which clearly is not the case. So, why are you convoking this hearing?" Tsunade argued, while trying to be calm._

"_You know the reason. He said that he used the power of the demon and there is no way of knowing if he was the one at the control at that time. The village security is at stake __here." Koharu alleged._

"_You bastards, you clearly know that this isn't true. He wasn't being controlled by that damn Kyubi. This is just a stupid excuse for you get rid of him."_

"_You can think whatever you like. It isn't the job of the Hokage to __decide who is or not is convoked to a hearing. We just come here so you could inform him."Tsunade almost lost her composure and hit that bitch old lady right at her face, the only thing that stopped her hand was the consideration that it wasn't going to help Naruto at all. She stared them with killer eyes; they understood the message immediately and leaved the Hokage office without speaking a word._

************

"Do you really think the council will try to do something against him?" The concerned voice of Kakashi interrupted Tsunade of her thoughts. She thought about the question for some time. They wouldn't dare try something, wouldn't them? She sighed in frustration, she hated felling so useless. She was the village Hokage and still she couldn't do anything to stop the hearing. They were right, it indeed wasn't the job of the Hokage to decide if a hearing was or not convoked, so she couldn't do anything about it. Tsunade finally turned her attention to Kakashi to reply his question.

"Any kind of punishment still have to be confirmed by the Hokage, you know that. " Tsunade said but still keeping a little uncertain in her voice, which didn't pass unnoticed by Kakashi.

"Unless it is voted by the great majority of the council." Kakashi argued. The Hokage didn't respond, she already knew that if more than two-thirds of the council voted in favor even the Hokage couldn't go against. It was a structure made to control the powers of the Hokage. But even so, there is no way that Homura could get two-thirds of the council to support him, at least it was what she hoped for.

* * *

Naruto walked through the hospital corridors, reflecting about the last events of his life. It seemed that someone out there really hated him and was at this moment playing with a voodoo doll of him. It was the only way of explaining all the bad things that were happening. First his "best" friend tried to killed him when he was at a mission to save the same, then when he finally brings him back, he is blamed by one of his dearest friend for hurting him in the process. Also there was also the whole thing with Tayuya. He really didn't know what to think about her, at most times she was just a grumpy foul-mouthed girl that keeps cursing him no matter what he does, but there were also some few times that she seemed like a really good person, like yesterday night. It was really seemed that she was finally becoming nicer with him, but at morning she was just her old self again. Deep inside he still didn't blame her because he knew that she was just like him. She probably just had a bad life like him and just uses her attitude as a shell to protect herself from the rest of the world, but this didn't mean that he wasn't frustrated about it.

With his mind on her, he almost passed by the room where he was supposed to go in, the room of Akimichi Choji. After knocking at the door and afterward listen to a voice letting he in, he opened the door and entered the room. Choji was lying in the bed, with a bored look at his face. 'Probably because of the horrible hospital food.' Naruto Thought, he had a great experience in hospitals and fully knew the quality of the food. Sitting at his side was his best friend Shikamaru that, not surprising, was sleeping in the chair. Naruto closed the door with some force this way awaking the lazy boy that murmured something like 'troublesome' as he yawned.

"So you finally came. We were a bit worried about you." Shikamaru said, showing in his voice the effects of waking up. Naruto scratched his head, embarrassed for not coming early.

"I am sorry, guys. I really wanted to come but… something came up." Naruto said.

"It's okay Naruto at least you came." Choji said, showing a little resent in his voice. Naruto put his head down in shame; he didn't want to disappoint one of his few friends like that. Shikamaru seeing the look on Naruto face said.

"He is not angry with you, Naruto." Naruto was going to ask what Shikamaru mean, when he noticed that their teammate Ino wasn't there. He didn't need to ask where she was, he already knew that. He clutched his hand at the vision. She was probably with Sasuke, probably together with Sakura, even if he was the reason for her teammate almost lose his life. He knew that Choji liked Ino, and he remembered how he felt when Sakura ignore him for Sasuke, so he completely understand his feeling. Naruto looked at both of his faces seeing that they both have the same expression of anger.

"So Choji, how did you beat that fa… strong guy?" Naruto asked, trying to cheer up Choji a bit.

Choji give him a quickly account of his fight, but Naruto wasn't satisfied with just a hastily explanation and asked for more details. In the beginning Choji was a little glad that someone really wanted to know so much about his fight, but stayed a little annoyed after some time since Naruto didn't stop of making questions. Shikamaru on the other hand was annoyed right in the beginning, for him the quickly account was just good enough. After some time Naruto finally run out of questions, for the relieve of both Shikamaru and Choji.

"Well I still have to visit the others, see ya later!" Naruto said, while proceeding in opening the door.

"Wait up, Naruto! I will go with you." Shikamaru said.

Both, Shikamaru and Naruto, get out of the room and walked by the corridors of the Hospital, in silence while they did it. After some time Naruto turned to Shikamaru.

"Hey, Shikamaru! You didn't tell me anything about your fight." Shikamaru sighed; he didn't want to pass for all the trouble of telling Naruto about his fight.

"What do you want to know?" Shikamaru asked lazily. Naruto put his hand in his chin thinking for a while.

"Tell me about the girl that you fought." Naruto responded, this was a perfect situation for knowing more about Tayuya.

"She was really troublesome. She was loud-mouthed and have a very foul-language, like I said very troublesome." Shikamaru answered. Naruto chuckled when he said that.

"Yes, she really is troublesome." Naruto said. Shikamaru stared at him blankly trying to make sense in what he had said. Naruto face became pale when he noticed what he had just spoken.

"I m-mean, s-she is… must have been troublesome. N-not that I know her. Because, I don't." Naruto sputtered while trying to give a fake smile. Shikamaru still continued to glare him, it was pretty obvious that Naruto was hiding something and he even had the notion of what it was. Everything made sense now, like the fact of Naruto didn't came to visit them until know. He already knew that the body of the kunoichi that he confronted had yet to be found. Yes, Shikamaru had a good notion of what was happening. But it wasn't his place to judge Naruto's actions, he was old enough to know what he was doing and also it would be too troublesome to intrude in the matter. 'I really hope that you know what you are doing, Naruto' Shikamaru thought before taking his gaze off Naruto. The rest of dialogue still stayed on his fight with the kunoichi, which just served to confirm his presumption.

Naruto by the other hand still wasn't sure if Shikamaru discovered everything. He knew that Shikamaru was smart enough to find out, but for some reason he trusted that he wouldn't tell anyone, even if he knew. Naruto listened carefully to Shikamaru account of the fight, he really stay surprised when he tell how strong opponent Tayuya was and also stayed surprised when he said about her cursed seal form. The remembrance of the cursed seal scared him a bit. He heard from Oba-chan that the curse seal was one way for Orochimaru to controlling his subordinates. So if Tayuya had it, it could mean that she was in danger, he would have to ask her about later. Naruto also made a mental note when he heard about Tayuya's use of the flute . They continued the conversation while in the way to visit their others friends.

* * *

Kabuto hand trembled when he opened the door to go into Orochimaru private chambers. He has feared for his life since the last day, when he gave Orochimaru the bad news regarding the mission to retrieve his new vessel, Uchiha Sasuke. He was luckily for not being killed after telling him that not only the sound four failed in the mission but they were also all killed during it. Kabuto finally entered the room to see an almost unrecognizable Orochimaru, filled with bandages. Unfortunately Orochimaru was forced to take the body of a weaker vessel and now not only he would have to wait 3 years for swap body again, he also was currently very weakened by the process.

"Kabuto, why did you take so long?" Orochimaru asked in a cold voice. He had asked for his medication long time ago.

"I am sorry, Orochimaru-sama. I had problems in finding the proper medicines." Kabuto replied, not hiding the fear in his voice.

"You are starting to disappoint me, Kabuto." Said Orochimaru, while proceeding to retrieve the pills from his hand. Kabuto chilled; he knew that when Orochimaru was enraged he would take it out on someone and with the Sound Four dead, he was a likely candidate.

"I ask for you to forgive me Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto pledged.

Orochimaru stared at his loyal servant. He was without doubt his most devoted servant and this was the only reason for him to be alive until this day. Orochimaru never fully trusted his servants, this was the exactly reason for developing the curse seal in the first place. The original version, which camed from Jugo, only setback was the increase in the user violence, but this is more than rewarded by the great increase of force. But, because of his distrust in others, Orochimaru added some additional effects, like one eternal link with him that allowed him to cause pain and even kill the user of the seal. Orochimaru glared once again at Kabuto, and with a sign of his hand send him away, not even caring to forgive him or not.

Kabuto started to leave in view of his master gesture, but before he could even came near the door the sound of an explosion could be heard in the distance.

"What the hell?" Kabuto muttered while nearing the window. From far away, near the village walls a big cloud of smoke could be observed.

* * *

It's been almost 30 years since he became a shinobi, 10 since he joined Otogakure forces, and since that day he participated in numerous battles. He was one of the ninjas that invaded Konoha and had the mission to kill the most powerful targets and never was he as afraid as in this moment. He stared once again the enemy shinobi. A man wearing a black cloak with red clouds, his face covered by a hood and around him countless bodies, all of which were filled with kunais.

"Who the hell are you? How could you kill all this ninjas without breaking a sweet?" The sound nin asked, while panting hard.

The man just glared him like he didn't even hear the question; he slowly raised his hand pointing it at his direction. The sound nin gasped and put himself in a defense position waiting for the attack. The man made a gesture with his hand making the sound nin jump back. He waited for the attack that didn't seemed to come, then from nowhere a kunai came flying towards him, hitting him in the throat. He putted his hand at his throat, trying in vain to stop the bleeding. He looked the man with the black clock, wanting to know how someone could kill him and his men all so easily before his vision went dark.

* * *

Kabuto was starting to grow tense, he still hadn't heard anything from the guards that guarded the east gate and all the men that he had sent to check them hadn't returned yet.

"Calm down, Kabuto. You are starting to get me nervous." Orochimaru said. Unlike Kabuto he seemed much calmer, but this was just what it looked like. Inside he was concerned. He wasn't ready for a fight since his transfer to the new body. At first, like Kabuto, he also thought that this was an attack from leaf, but now he had some doubts. If this was in fact a leaf attack, he would have reports of attacks at multiples places. But the attack seemed be coming from only one direction. It would be probably one small task force and it was coming direct towards him.

Suddenly he could hear the sound of combat coming of the direction of the door. Orochimaru quickly tried to form a plan of what to do, but before he could even start to think the sounds ceased. After some time of silence there was one big thud at the door that caused the door break open. Orochimaru eyes widened at the revelation of who was responsible for the attack.

"Akatsuki?" He muttered. He examined the shinobi with the Akatsuki clothes; trying to guess who he was since his face was covered.

"So you are the infamous Orochimaru." The Akatsuki ninja said. Orochimaru was taken aback by the question, if he didn't knew him that meant that he wasn't part of the Akatsuki the same time he was.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Orochimaru questioned.

"For your first question, well it isn't of your damn business."The man said totally calm. Orochimaru and Kabuto glared angrily at him in view of his disrespect.

"For your second question, let's say that you are in possession of something that belongs to us and I was sent by my superiors to retrieve it." The man continued. Both Orochimaru and Kabuto knew exactly what he was talking about; after all it was the main reason that the Akatsuki had been chasing him all this time.

"What you are talking about?" Orochimaru asked trying to seem dumb. The Akatsuki man chuckled.

"You really are funny Orochimaru. You probably think I am an idiot, don't you? Well, I am not. Now, we can stay here trying to deceive each other and spend a great bit of our time or we can go direct to the matter." The Akatsuki man argued. Orochimaru smirked.

"Okay, if this is what you want. Yes I have the ring, what do you offer for it?" Orochimaru asked.

"I am sorry; I think I didn't make myself clear. I said I came to retrieve it not buy it." The man retorted.

"Kuku Kuku, you really think you can come here and just take the ring from me? I don't think you know who you are dealing it." Orochimaru said with an angry tone.

"I know exactly who I dealing it, and sincerely you don't fright me. I don't think that even if you weren't weakened by the body transfer you would be a match for me. So, where is the ring?" The man said coldly.

Kabuto went mad by the total disrespect in which his master was treated. Before Orochimaru could stop him, he took a kunai from his pouch and dashed full speed towards the man but before he came even near the man he was suddenly hit by a phantasmagoric force, throwing him at the wall where he fell unconscious. Orochimaru eyes widened, because of his state Kabuto was his last defense but he was crushed easily and now he was defenseless. He cursed the Sandaime, if it wasn't for him he could easily defeat the attacker but now this man had his life in his hands.

"This is your last chance, Where is the ring?" The man asked once again. Orochimaru knew that there wasn't anything he could do. If he didn't tell him, he would just be killed and the man would get the ring regardless. He hated this, but there wasn't any choice, so he pointed to the cabinet where the ring was. The men quickly nodded and proceed to get the ring, after acquiring the precious object he started to leave the room, for the surprise of Orochimaru.

"You won't try to kill me?" Orochimaru asked. He knew that Akatsuki wanted to get rid of him and this was the perfect chance.

"What is the point? It would be dishonorable kill you in your current state. I am not like you Orochimaru. You like to attack when the victim is weak, because then your victory is guaranteed. But I think this is just being coward. A true ninja attacks when the opponent is stronger, just then he can truly prove himself." The man said before leaving Orochimaru chambers. Orochimaru face turned to pure wrath. 'Who he thinks he is?' Orochimaru thought. How can that bastard call him a coward? He was the Snake Sannin, did he really thinks that he could match him? Never. Whoever he is, he would pay. He would pay dearly.

* * *

Naruto and Shikamaru had just left Neji room. They had already visited Lee and Kiba some time before and in all the cases the talk was similar. They talked about the fights and how they could defeat their enemies. Both Lee and Kiba get excited in describing they fight but Neji in the other hand was not so thrilled, in fact it was quite the opposite. Actually the whole talk in Neji room was peculiar, since all the talk was made by Naruto, while Neji and Hinata, that was at that moment visiting his cousin, keep listening and Shikamaru was apparently sleeping. Sometimes Neji would open his mouth to spell some small interjections, Hinata in the other way never opened her mouth and when she threat to do so she would just stay red and just stutter, for some reason that Naruto didn't understand.

At this moment Naruto and Shikamaru were on the way to visit the last individual that was injured during the mission, Uchiha Sasuke. Shikamaru had noticed that Naruto was a little uncomfortable with the prospect of seeing Sasuke. In fact even if Naruto asked everyone about their battles, he didn't even comment about his against Sasuke and everyone had the prudence of not ask him about it also. Nobody judged him for that, Sasuke was his teammate and friend and they had a mortal combat. He didn't even want to know what was passing through his friend head. They continued walking, in silence, in the direction of the Uchiha room. After some time they finally arrived near his room but they were blocked by an ANBU agent.

"I can't let you pass." The ANBU agent said in a rude way, while looking at Naruto. Shikamaru stared him and then to Naruto, that was glaring the man. Shikamaru still didn't understand why some peoples were so rude with Naruto.

"Why not?" Asked Shikamaru.

"Orders!" The ANBU replied.

"Who gave these orders?" Shikamaru asked, he didn't believe that the Hokage would give such an order.

"It's none of your business! The orders were quite clear, he can't get near the Uchiha" The ANBU said while pointing to Naruto. Shikamaru was about to complain when he see Naruto turn his back and move. Shikamaru was about to stop him when Naruto turned to him.

"It's okay Shikamaru! I still have to see a friend anyway. You go ahead and see how he is doing." Naruto said clearly depressed. Shikamaru was about to stop him but he supposed that Naruto needed some time alone so he went ahead to Sasuke room.

* * *

Sasori hated to wait; he didn't fully understand why he hated so much. Probably because of having to wait so much for his parents when he was a child, the only thing he knew is that he hated it. And he had been waiting for almost 30 minutes already.

"Why the hell he is taking so long?" Sasori complained. Deidara looked at him smiling.

"Well, you know how he is. Always walking in a slow pace, taking his time." Deidara responded. The only reaction of Sasori was some kind of snort.

"Don't worry, he will come shortly." Deidara continued and like in some forecast the given man appeared in their front.

"Why the fuck you take so long,Ishimaru?" Sasori inquired. Ishimaru removed his hood to show his short red hair.

"Well, I had some obstacles in my way." Ishimaru replied. He took the ring of his pocket throwing in the direction of Deidara that took him.

"I assume you also took care of some snake problem, didn't you?" Sasori asked. Ishimaru look at him briefly and didn't responded, he didn't need to since both Deidara and Sasori already knew the answer.

"You let him live didn't you, dumb fuck?"Deidara complained. Ishimaru looked at him with a blank look.

"It would be no fun, killing him in his state. Don't worry, we already have the ring and Orochimaru can't do anything to stop our plans. If he tries, then we will just have to kill him." Ishimaru argued. Deidara and Sasori stared him, both knew that it was true that Orochimaru wasn't a great risky but still it would be better to just kill him, but it was too late now. With that in mind the three started to get away from the village.

* * *

Naruto was looking for her for a long time now and still didn't find her. 'Did she come to work today?' he thought, but like to answer his question he heard a sweet voice at his back.

"Naruto-kun!!" Said one girl, of long black hair in a pony-tail and wearing a typical nurse uniform. Naruto turned back to her giving a weak smile.

"Hi, Yumi-chan!" Naruto said, while waving at her. Yumi looked at Naruto and recognize right away signals of sadness in his face and voice. She knew the loud-mouthed and hyperactive blonde for a long time now. Since that day some years ago, when she noticed how Naruto were being treated by the others nurses. Because of his "condition" and the beatings that he received because of it, Naruto was almost a resident in the hospital. She only knew him by sight since she was never designate to take care of him but she started to notice how Naruto was being mistreated by most nurses. They sometimes forgot his meals, didn't come when he pressed the call button and there were even some extremes cases when they forget his medicines making Naruto go by painful nights. Seeing this situation she could only fell sorry for the boy. At the start she thought like most people, that Naruto was just a demon but when she saw him for the first time she knew that it wasn't true, he wasn't a demon he was just a normal kid. She asked permission for the Hokage to be his official nurse, the Hokage could only smile at her request and since that day she and Naruto became good friends.

"Is there something worrying you, Naruto-kun" Yumi asked. She already had heard about the mission and already knew that some people were blaming Naruto for what happened to Sasuke.

"Nothing Yumi-chan!" Naruto answered, still with the sad look at his face. Yumi pat Naruto hair.

"No matter what anyone say to you, it wasn't your fault, Naruto-kun. " Yumi said gently to Naruto. He looked at her with a weak smile.

"Thanks, Yumi-chan. But it's okay, really." Naruto said. Yumi nodded, she knew that Naruto wasn't really okay, but she also knew that she wasn't the best one to talk about this to him since she didn't even know the Uchiha. But she was going to talk to the Hokage about it, maybe she knew someone that could talk to him.

"Can I do something for you?" Yumi asked.

"For the matter of fact, you can. You see there is..." Naruto was saying when he started to think how the hell he would tell her without suspicion, after some thought he continued.

"You see, there is this friend of mine and he has a friend that was injured but he can't go to the hospital. So my friend needs to know how to treat him." Naruto explained. Yumi looked to Naruto not believing in the obvious lie, but she decided to go along for now.

"And what happened with the friend of your friend?" Asked Yumi.

"Well he was crushed by some t…, some debris." Naruto respond. Naruto then explained all the damage that "the friend of his friend" suffered in all the details that he knew. Yumi listen it, with attention to everything. After he finished the explanation, she thinks a bit letting go a tiny "hum".

"You should tell your friend, that his friend needs urgently go to the hospital." Yumi said in a very serious tone.

"You really think so? Because, it doesn't look that serious." Said Naruto. Yumi then kneeled in the front of Naruto putting her hands in his shoulder.

"Naruto, hear me! Your friend really need go to the hospital." She said giving emphasis in 'your friend', illustrating to Naruto that she knew that he was lying. When she noticed in his face that he understood she continued.

"Look, I know that it don't look serious but if what you said is true your friend can be more hurt that it seems. He can even die if nothing is done about it." Yumi said. Naruto eyes opened wide clearly showing his fear. He never thought that the damage in Tayuya could be so serious. He was totally terrified of the idea of her dying. Yumi clearly noticed the fear in Naruto eyes and understand now that he was trying to protect someone very important to him. Naruto looked at her still with fear in his eyes.

"I will tell her about it." Naruto said, not noticing that he give her more information about his supposed friend.

"Yumi-chan, can you please not tell Oba-chan about this." Naruto pledge it. Yumi froze, Tsunade was not only her boss but also the Hokage , it was clear that Naruto friend was someone that was in some kind of problem with the village. Maybe even a criminal, and was her responsibility to tell the Hokage about it. But in other hand Naruto was a good person and definitely had good intentions, also if they exchange places Naruto surely would do the same for her.

"Okay, Naruto! I won't!" Responded Yumi with a smile. Naruto smiled back at her.

"I need one more thing." Said Naruto, which had just remembered of something.

* * *

Tayuya was bored. It was expected since she had passed the whole fucking day in the bed. Since the blondie left she stayed in the bed with nothing to do. He even left some book of the icha icha series. She hated that series; Sakon had already given one of these books to her, which she threw at his face after she read it. However since she had nothing left to do she even tried read it, but it was a rapid reading and it didn't lower her boredom. She tried to sleep, but she find out that she wasn't tired enough for that, it was predictable since she passed the whole day sleeping. She started looking at the door expecting the blondie to arrive. At least she wouldn't be so bored if he was there. She find herself almost begging for him to arrive, and keep looking at the door waiting at what seemed hours, until the door finally opened giving her a smile, that she hide right away.

Naruto entered his house, and went directly to his bedroom. Preparing himself for the serious conversation that he would have with Tayuya. Yumi really scared when she said that Tayuya could die. He knew that it wouldn't be easy to convince her that she needed to see a doctor.

"Hi, Tayuya! How are you doing?" Naruto asked when he arrived at his bedroom.

"How do you think, fuck-head? I spend the whole fucking day at the bed. I'm fucking bored." Tayuya responded irritated. What revolted her more is that now that he arrived she would have to ask for his fucking help for some basics things. 'I am so fuck useless' Tayuya trough.

"I know that you hate to stay in bed the whole day, so I brought this." Naruto said showing her the object that he brought of the hospital, a folded wheelchair. Tayuya almost smiled but she held at the end. He had just read her mind.

"It was fuck time!" She said. Naruto stared her, almost giving up the hope of her ever being nice to him. But it wasn't like he didn't already expect that reaction. Naruto then helped her sit in the wheelchair.

"I need to talk to you." Naruto said. Tayuya looked at him a bit scared with the seriousness of his voice. Naruto then told her everything that Yumi said. Tayuya almost killed him when he said that he told someone, but calmed down when he promised Yumi wouldn't tell a soul. After he finished, they both stayed quiet. Tayuya hadn't even fully thought about her condition, she had been trying to escape from the many questions. Would she fully walk again? Was she out of danger? But now these entire questions pierced her mind. Naruto looked at her a little worried; he didn't want to scare her this way.

"I think we should do what she said and go to the hospital." Naruto said. Tayuya looked at him angry.

"Are you nuts, Shithead? If I go to the damn hospital there is a wide chance of I get caught and there is no fucking way that I will let this happen. "Responded an angry Tayuya.

"But, didn't you listen what I said? You could die." Naruto said.

"So what? It's better than to root in prison." Answered Tayuya. Naruto looked at her astonished; he couldn't believe that she was willing to die than being caught.

"How can you say that? Don't you care if you live or don't?" Naruto questioned her. Tayuya froze with the question. When she was stuck by that tree she was thinking the same question. And the answer at that time was that she didn't care, she didn't know any reasons for live and she still didn't. So she accepted the fact and waited for death that is until the blondie come.

"Of course I do." Tayuya said unsurely. Naruto shiver with the tone of her voice, with was filled with sadness. Tayuya continued.

"Put yourself in my situation, what you would do? What do you care if I live or don't, anyway? Things would just be easier for you if I die." Tayuya said with the same sad tone.

"How can you say that? Of course I care about you! I like you!" Naruto said. Both of them looked each other surprised. Naruto was totally taken aback for the words that came out of his mouth. Tayuya was looking at him with wide eyes. The words repeating inside her head, she never thought that someone could like her. Why would someone like some foul-mouthed bitch like her? He was always nice to her, but she always treated him bad, so how could he like her?

"W-w-what? …W-why?" Tayuya asked disbelieving. Naruto gulped, and then looked her at the eyes.

"You are just like me. You probably had a bad childhood where everyone treated you badly. Like me you try to hide your fears with your loud manner, this way people can't see how afraid you are and use against you. But in the inside, you are afraid of anyone hurt you again, afraid to feel the same pain ever again. I know this because I also was afraid; in reality I think I still am afraid of this. "

Tayuya looked at him, her eyes almost watering. She couldn't understand how much anyone could understand her this way. It was like if someone wrote of a book of her life. Naruto continued.

"I like you. You are strong willed and you don't easily give-up. You don't care what others think about you. I even like your foul attitude." Naruto said chuckling in the end. Tayuya continued to look at him, this time some tears feeling from her eyes, which were quickly cleaned away. She didn't know how to answer what she just heard, she was totally speechless. After some time she started to move in the direction of the bedroom, without saying any word. But before she could pass the door, she halted and looked back at him her lips in a soft smile.

"If it worries you so much you can bring that nurse that you talked about, baka." Tayuya said. Before entering the bedroom. Naruto just smiled to that before proceeding to the shower.

Tayuya with some bit of difficulty come back to the bed, she had a lot to think about it. Everything that Naruto said to her keep repeating inside of her head. She had a lot of doubts in her mind now, doubts about her uncertain future. The only thing she was sure now, is that she could finally answer his question. Yes, she wanted to live.

* * *


	4. The Council Harsh Decision

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Naruto looked around him. The council chambers were of a circular format and the person being inquired stayed at its center while the councilors surrounded him. Naruto looked at each face around him and they all had cold and wicked stares. It was like he had done something wrong and he should be ashamed because of it. The worst was that he really looked ashamed, even when he had done nothing wrong. Naruto cursed in his mind everybody around him. He shouldn't even be here. He should have been praised for a mission well done. He and his companions should have received a medal for risking they lives for the village. But no, he was here being judged. Naruto sighed. It was just a couple of hours ago that he discovered that he had been convoked for a hearing.

********************

_Naruto ran towards the Hokage Tow__er. After the last day scolding he didn't want to be late ever again. He had wake up early since he expected at least some complications due his new roommate but was surprised when he hadn't it. Tayuya was a bit strange since he said he liked her last night. She passed the rest of the day quiet and she almost didn't talk with him and when she did it wasn't about what he had said it. He was a little worried with her reaction, it was already expected that she would be surprised but it wasn't only that, she also seemed __scared. Naruto didn't quite understand why until he remembered of how her life must have been. In fact even he was a little scared because of what he said it. He was concerned with her at the moment and didn't think about the words and it wasn't until he already said that he really thought about their __meaning. He was still confused, he knew he really liked her but it was like a friend or it was something more? _

_He finally could see the Hokage Tower and he was even a bit early. He went inside and gestured to Shizune that he had arrived __. The look that Shizune had it when she saw him scared him a bit. He immediately knew that something was wrong. She entered the Hokage office and after some time she came back saying that he could enter. _

_Naruto entered the office. He examined her and the look of her face almost confirmed __his suspicions that indeed something was wrong._

"_Something is wrong, Oba-chan?" Naruto asked worried. Tsunade stared at him for some time before talking._

"_Naruto, there is something that I didn't said yesterday. You have been inquired for a hearing concerning the mission to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke." She said. The look on Naruto face changed immediately for one of fear. _

"_W-w-what? What do you mean a hearing?" Naruto asked._

"_There are some concerns__ about some aspects of the mission, especially about your fight with Sasuke." Tsunade said. Something in her voice made Naruto immediately understand what exactly she mean it. He clutched his fist hard and his face turned red of rage._

"_Why didn't you say it sooner?" Naruto asked with angry __in his voice. Tsunade head went down in shame, she should have said before but she was afraid of saying it._

"_I am sorry, Naruto! I should have, __but I didn't want to worry you too much." Tsunade responded. _

"_Really? Didn't want to worry me? Why should I be worried, anyway? I will just enter in a room filled with people that hate me and that will decide my future!" Said Naruto still angry. Tsunade looked at him thinking about what to say. Everything that he said wasn't far from the true._

"_Don't worry so much! I still have the final vote; I won't let anything bad happen to you." Tsunade said it. Naruto calmed a bit with her reassurance, but he still was a little concerned. He knew that in some cases she __didn't have the final vote._

"_When it will be?" Naruto asked._

"_Today." The Hokage said it. Naruto was taken aback by the response. He expected to have more time to prepare himself but thinking better he considered that the sooner __the better. Naruto simply nodded and went to leave the room. Tsunade let him, he needed some time alone._

_********************_

"Can you state your name, please?" Danzo said at the top of the tribune.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto answered his voice barely listenable.

"Do you know why you are here?" Danzo asked. Naruto just nodded to the question.

"Fine, Can you describe to this hearing the events that happened two days ago?" Danzo said. Naruto then proceed to give a detailed account of everything that happened that day, doing his best to remember even of the smallest details and, of course, failing to mention some facts as finding one red-headed in the forest. After the account was done the councilors looked at each other, some of them whispering. Finally after some time they finally returned they attention to Naruto.

"You said you used the power of the fox of nine tails. What do you mean by that?" Homura asked. Because everybody in the hearing already knew about the Kyubi being sealed in Naruto, there wasn't any law being violated.

"I kind asked for a little of his power borrowed." Naruto responded.

"You mean that you talked with the demon?" Koharu asked a little surprised. Naruto nodded, a little afraid for what the reaction of the people around would be. He never talked with nobody about the fact of him speaking with the fox. Most of the councilors leaned back at their seats surprised and even Tsunade and Shizune that were nearby, being the only non council member allowed, were also taken aback.

"So, you talk with the demon willing and let him take control to beat Uchiha Sasuke?" Danzo asked. Naruto stared at him angry.

"No! I didn't say that! I said that I borrowed some power from him. He was never in control."Naruto said.

"Well, it wasn't what we heard. We heard that you weren't in your senses during the fight."Homura said.

"Who said that?" Naruto asked almost screaming.

"It doesn't matter who said it. What matters is if it is true or not, isn't?" Homura said. Naruto looked angry at him.

"No it isn't. I knew exactly what I was doing during the fight." Naruto responded.

"So you are saying that you knew exactly what you were doing when you almost killed a shinobi of this village?" Koharu said. Just then Naruto noticed what they were doing. Like a good lawyer they were twisting everything he said. Using his own words against him, trying to make him incriminate himself.

"My mission was to prevent Sasuke of defecting to the sound and this was the only way that I found to do this." Naruto said trying to appear calm.

"Is this was the first time that you used the power of the Kyubi?" Danzo asked. Naruto sighed he didn't like were this were going.

"No. I used others times too." Naruto said.

"In any of these times, did you ever obtain this power unwillingly?" Danzo asked. Naruto visibly trembled with the question. He knew that they wouldn't understand. He already used the power when his life was in great threat, but he always was in control and he never would do something that he wouldn't want to.

"Yes. But…" Naruto said and before he could even explain his voice was silenced by the voices of everybody else. Soon all the council members were in agitation. Since the day that the Kyubi was sealed in the boy there always has been the fear that the Kyubi would set free and in their vision the fact of Naruto lost control without wanting was terrifying. Finally all the agitation was ceased by the voice of the head of the council, Danzo. After finally calming down everybody he cleared his throat and continued.

"So you are saying that you could lose control at any time?" Danzo asked. Naruto glared at him almost losing control of himself.

"No, it's not like that." Naruto said clutching his fist to hide his anger.

"Really? It's seems to me that it just like that." Said Danzo and before Naruto could retort he continued.

"Well, I think we are finished here. The council will reunite to make his decision." Danzo said before getting out of the council chamber, being soon followed by the others members and leaving Naruto alone with Tsunade and Shizune. He looked at his two friends trying to see something saying that everything would be okay but it wasn't what he saw. They were as scared as him. Tsunade even tried to give a fake smile but it wasn't convincing. The waiting was hell for him, in his head passed numerous possibilities of what could happen with him. He could be arrested, banished or even killed. He tried telling himself that he was overreacting. That they wouldn't do anything serious, but deep inside he knew that he was only lying to himself. After some time, that seemed like an eternity for Naruto, the council members finally returned.

"Naruto Uzumaki, we from the council assumed that you are too dangerous to this village. So from this moment on, you are removed from the rank of shinobi and also you are prohibited from leaving the surroundings of the village under penalty of death." Danzo said coldly. For Naruto it was like somebody stabbed a knife in his heart. He would never more be a ninja. Nevermore he would be able to achieve his dream. He just stayed there too shocked to show any reaction. Looking at the counselors giving him cold stares, some of them even smiling. A touch at his shoulder made he get out of his frozen state. He looked back to see the person he considered as his grandmother. She tried to give him a sympathetic look but not hiding the sadness on her face. She tried to say something but she couldn't find the words. She had promised him that everything would be okay but she couldn't help him. Naruto stared her eyes now filled with tears. Without saying a word he removed her hand of his shoulder and leaved, without wanting to talk to anyone. Tsunade just stayed there still speechless thinking how many more people she would still disappoint in this life.

* * *

Naruto was slowly returning home still shaken for what happened before. His vision blurred as he shed so many tears. He knew that his life would never again be the same. In a short space of time his life was ruined. Three days ago he was the Shinobi that had defeated Garra and saved the village, in that moment he felt that he was at the top of the world almost reaching the post of Hokage. But know this dream had become unreachable. As a matter of fact Naruto started to doubt if he ever had any chance. Everybody hated him. Why did he think that someday it would change? Where did he come up it the idea that someday he would be accepted? He started to think he was the dumbest person in the planet.

In his slow pace Naruto started to notice the glance of the people around him. Hate was stamped right in their eyes. It was like they wanted to kill him by just by looking at him. Naruto wasn't surprised actually, it was like this during his childhood and he already became used to it. But this time, if possible, their glances were worse. They already knew the outcome of his mission and how he beat their "prized" Uchiha. Not only that, the news of his hearing must have slipped out. Naruto trembled when he thought that soon his friends would know what happened. The last thing he needed was their looks of pity.

Deeply in his thoughts Naruto didn't notice one object flying in his direction until it was too late. The thing hit him with full force breaking itself in the impact. Naruto went down on his knees looking at the object, a broken bottle of sake. Then he looked at the thrower a woman of 20 years at most. What impressed Naruto was her eyes filled of rage. He never had seen so much in one person.

"Monster! They should have killed for what you did with my family." The Woman said. Naruto stared at her. He didn't know her much less her family. Soon, others peoples joined the woman also cursing him. Naruto trembled of hate and rage. He wanted to just let the demon free and kill them all. Wasn't this the reason that they hated him, wasn't because of this that he was being punished? So, why not? Fortunately for the people of Konoha, Naruto remembered of Gaara. He didn't want to be like him, a psychotic murderer. With great difficulty he calmed himself and in a puff disappeared.

* * *

Sakura was walking together with her friend Ino through the corridors of Konoha Hospital. They had spent most of the day at the side of Sasuke and were totally exhausted. Sasuke had awakened just the other day and until now had barely spoken a word, but in the few word that he had spoken he showed his anger because he had been stopped in his way to archive power. For the first time Sakura started to notice what kind of person he was and since this moment a strong feeling of guilty passed on her head.

"Ino!" Called Sakura.

"What?" Ino asked. Sakura looked at her and Ino could clearly see her shame.

"Do you also feel guilty for what we did with Naruto?" Sakura asked. Ino frozen a bit with the question, her expression now was the same of embarrassment as Sakura. She weakly nodded. Sakura felt better that at least she wasn't the only person that was feeling guilty but it didn't matter. When she found Naruto she would ask for his forgiveness and then she would feel better.

* * *

Naruto slowly opened the door, still visible shaken. The first thing he could see was his roommate that was at that moment watching TV.

"You finally arrived, shith…" Tayuya was saying when she subtly stopped when she saw Naruto.

"What the fucking happened with you?" Tayuya screamed. Naruto looked funny at her, asking himself what she noticed that let her so surprised.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked oblivious. Tayuya sweat drooped and pointed towards his head.

"You shit-head, you are bleeding." Tayuya said. Naruto rub his hand on his head, in the place where the bottle had hit him and felt something soaked. He looked his hands and seeing a red spot his eyes went wide. He hadn't notice how deep the cut had been.

"Don't worry about this. It isn't anything serious." Naruto said, knowing very well of his cure factor and knowing that soon the cut would be closed. But before he could leave he was pulled strongly towards the sofa.

"Are you fucking crazy? This could be fucking serious, baka." Tayuya said while examining the cut. Not that she was worried about him, but if he died she would be alone in an enemy village, at least that was what she said to herself. While she examined the cut, her eyes widened. The cut was closing by itself right in the front of her eyes.

"What the fuck? Is this a blood limit?" She asked alarmed. Naruto trembled with her question he didn't want to tell her about the Kyubi. He was afraid that she would hate him like everybody else did.

"Yes, something like that." Naruto answered. Tayuya frowned she wanted to know more. She continued to examine the cut that was now almost completed healed.

"What the hell happened? How the fuck you did this?" She asked. Naruto didn't answer, he just stared to nothing and that just made her more pissed.

"Dammit Naruto, If you want to stay fucking depressed you can just fuck yourself and do just that, but it would be much better if you at least talked about it!" She said. Naruto looked at her. She was at this moment with her arms crossed looking the other way, avoiding looking at him. He really wanted to tell somebody everything that he felt. For a moment he thought in just leaving her there and head off to his bedroom, but something made him change his mind. His life went from bad to worst and he was afraid. He needed to talk with somebody. He said yesterday that she was just like him. So maybe she would understand.

"Did you ever hear about the Kyubi?" Naruto asked. Tayuya nodded and looked at him with curiosity.

"Well, like you may have heard, twelve years ago the fourth Hokage defeated the Kyubi by sacrificing himself. But that is not the whole true." Naruto take a deep breath before continuing.

"The true is that a Bijuu can't be killed. Because of this the Yoindame had only one choice. He had to seal it inside a newborn child." Naruto said. Tayuya's eyes went wide when she noticed what he was telling her.

"That child was me." Naruto finished while looking at her, expecting her reaction. Wishing that she didn't fear him like everybody around him. Tayuya just stared at him. She had already heard stories about the lives of the Jinchurikis and now everything makes sense. Every time that Naruto said that he had a life as bad as her, when he said that she was like him and when he said that he was also hated. Everything made sense now.

"You must have had a pretty bad life, huh?" Tayuya said sadly. Naruto looked at her surprised.

"So, you don't care?" Naruto asked. Tayuya looked at him angrily for thinking something like that.

"Do you really think I am so fucking futile like the dipshits that live in this fucked village? You don't have fault if that bastard sealed that damn thing in you."Tayuya said noticeably angry. Naruto couldn't hold his smile, happy of not being rejected. With more confidence he continued his story. He started with his childhood when he was badly treated at the orphanage, of how was at that time that he started to pull pranks trying to call attention. He also told her about the innumerous beatings that he received during that time, about all the times that he was expelled from several places and how he was forced to leave the orphanage because of the way that he was treated. Never in his life had he told so much of his life to somebody. The more he talked the more Tayuya came close to crying. She always thought that her life had been the worst possible, but right in her front there was somebody with the life as bad as her if not worst. Somebody that as her, had seen the worst that the world can offer to a child. When Naruto finally finished his story she couldn't hold anymore and dropped some tears that where quickly cleaned with her hands, but that didn't pass unnoticed by the boy at her side.

Tayuya stared at him for some moment before started telling her story. Naruto stayed surprised since he didn't expect that she would open with him. She started to tell her last memories of a happy family living in Iwa before her dad died. Of how her mother turned to alcohol, forgetting totally of her children. Of how she married with one of the many mans that frequented the bar of her home village, where her mother passed most of her time. Then she started to tell of all the abuses that she suffered during that time. At this moment she stopped not hiding anymore the tears. She didn't care as she didn't see so much need in hiding her feelings around him anymore, at least not as much as before. She found herself unable to continue, it was the first time that she ever told this to someone and was a memory that she wanted to forget. Seeing this, Naruto placed her head gently on his shoulders and putting his arm around her trying to console her. She trembled a little, not accustomed with this kind of affection. Her face slightly blushed with the contact with him. One side of her wanted to push and curse him, but the other side of her, the side that she had been hiding for a long time wanted this kind of affection.

With more confidence because of his support she found the strength to continue the story. She told him about how her brother saved her from the terrible abuses, killing both her foster-father and their own mother. She told him how both of them tried to run away but were unfortunately caught by the village ANBU. She said that because she was little she was released, but her brother was arrested and she never saw him anymore. She sobbed a little when she remembered from her brother fully knowing that he was probably dead. She told him that she started to live in the streets having nothing to eat and how she started to steal food in order to survive and in short time she even became a pro. She laughed when she remembered how she would leave the ANBU eating dust. Naruto also laughed since this remembered him of the times that he also ran away from the ANBU because of his pranks. She told him that one time she stolen some women purse in hope of finding some money to buy some food, but instead she found a flute. She said that she thought in selling it but for some reason, that even today she didn't comprehend, she decided to keep it. She stated telling with proud that she learned to play all by herself which amazed Naruto a lot. She finally told him of the day that had changed her life forever. She committed the mistake of stolen from the wrong person and soon she found herself running away from a great number of ninjas. They finally had her surrounded and where deciding how they would punish her. She shivered when she remembered of everything that they said that they would do to her. This made Naruto increase his embrace on her. She told him how she was lucky that before they tried anything they all were killed in a blink of an eye. The ninja that had saved her made her an offer that she couldn't refuse. The chance of never again to stay hunger, of never again suffer of never again be defenseless. She accepted without thinking twice. In a short time she became one of the top genin of sound. After two years she received the cursed seal, being one of the few that survived and shortly after she joined the sound four. She sighed of relieve after finishing the story. She still stayed for some time leaned on his shoulder not wanting to move before she removed her head of his shoulder.

"So, you still didn't tell me what happened today." Tayuya said. Naruto then noticed that even after he told all his life, he still didn't answer her question.

"Well, one angry woman threw a bottle on my head." Naruto said with his face red of embarrassment.

"One shit civilian threw a bottle at you and you didn't dodge? What kind of fucked up ninja you are?" She said laughing. Naruto also let go a small laugh it was really stupid for a ninja be hit by a civilian. He stooped to laugh when he remembered that he wasn't a ninja anymore falling in depression shortly after. Tayuya noticing this asked.

"Naruto, did something happen?" She asked worried. Naruto avoid looking at her but she still noticed the tears threatening to come out of his eyes.

"Today I was judged by the village council because of the mission and… they said that I am not allowed to be a ninja anymore… I can't even leave this village." Naruto said almost not finishing the sentence. Her eyes went wide, she just couldn't believe it.

"What? It was that fag Uchiha that tried to desert this stupid village. You completed the mission, how they can punish you?" Tayuya asked.

"They don't care about the mission. They only wanted one way to get rid of me and this damn thing inside me. Sasuke won't even be punished because they said that he was being controlled by the cursed seal." Naruto answered angry. Tayuya clutched her fist in anger. She knew in her own experience that the seal didn't control anybody. The only motive that dumb ass Uchiha would go unpunished was because of being the village favorite while Naruto was being extremely punished for something that wasn't his fault.

"Bastards!! You should kill all of them." She said angry. Naruto laugh while shaking his head. Sometimes he really wanted to do this.

"No, I can't become the same thing that they are afraid of." Naruto said. Tayuya snorted, she already expected this answer from him bus she still wanted to kill them.

"What the fuck will you do now?" Tayuya asked.

"I don't know. I don't know more what to do." Naruto said sad. Something in his voice made Tayuya gasp. It was the same voice that she had when she give up of everything, even from her own life. She could completely understand, for someone like him being a ninja was the only thing that mattered in life. But it broke her heart seeing how Naruto, that just the other day was so full of confidence, was now giving up of everything.

"You really are a fucking bastard! Now you are only felling pity of yourself and giving up? You are only being a shitty coward, you fucking cunt." Tayuya said. Naruto looked at her scared.

"After every damn thing that you been through of every training of every sacrifice. You are going to give up of everything? You are going to let them fuck you up after everything you done to this shit village? I thought you were different, you fucking fag." She said.

"What you expect me to do?" Naruto asked a bit angry.

"If they don't want you, fuck them. You are fucking better without them anyway." She said. Naruto was a bit scared with the meaning of what she said.

"You want me to desert the village?"Naruto asked.

"Of course, what more you have left in this fucked up village?" She answered. He already had thought about running away before, but since he graduated in the academy he had forgot about it.

"I can't simply run away. What about all of my friends that I have here, I can't just leave them here." Naruto argued.

"Are they really your fucking friends? The fact of knowing your name doesn't make them your fucking friends. How many of these friends have ever invited you to their shit homes? How many of these friends had talked to you about something, just for talking? Anyway even if they are your friends then they will understand, if they don't then they weren't your fucking friends from the beginning. "She said. Naruto thought about what she had said and noticed that he barely knew most of his friends. The only people that he could truly consider his friends were Iruka and Yumi and they weren't even of his age. All the people of his age were really only teammates. He looked Tayuya and noticed a sad look in her face, she probably didn't have any friends back at the sound.

"You don't have any friends, don't you?" Naruto asked. Tayuya weakly nodded. He started to think about what she had said. If they were really his friends they would want the best for him and this was to become a ninja. But to run away from his village was something very serious and was a decision that shouldn't be taken lightly. He would pass the rest of his life running away and he would probably never see anybody of the village ever again. But in the other way he could still be a ninja and he would never more face the evil glare of the villagers. He didn't need to think anymore he already made his decision. Tayuya was right. If they don't want him it was their loss. He would show them. He would become the strongest ninja ever and he would show them what they had lost.

"You are right! Fuck them, fuck this village! I will show that I don't need them. I will become the strongest ninja ever and this is a promise and Uzumaki Naruto always does what he promises." Naruto said lifting his fist towards the sky. Tayuya smirked seeing that he had his confidence back.

"What about you? I can't just leave you here." Naruto said remembering of her condition. Tayuya gasped since she hadn't thought about that.

"Just leave me in a nearby village and proceed in your fucking way! I know how to take care of myself." Tayuya said. Naruto didn't like this idea. She would also be hunted by Konoha and sound nins and in her actual condition she couldn't defend herself. He didn't want her to get hurt and also he didn't want to part ways.

"I don't know about that. I am kind stupid so if I go alone I would probably get lost. I need someone to help me." Naruto said laughing. Tayuya looked at him and shook her head.

"I am fucking cripple. I will just be a burden." Tayuya said sad.

"No sense. I can't do this alone and you are the only one that can help me." Naruto argued. She thought about it. For the first time in a long time there was someone that was nice to her, someone that liked her and she didn't felt alone anymore. In fact the prospect of them get separated frightened her a lot. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

"Humph, if you need a fucking babysitter so much I think I can make the sacrifice, dumbass." She said while faking irritation, but unable to hiding her smile in the end. Naruto smile, he just loved her bad-girl behavior.

"Okay, why don't you pack your things while I…" Naruto was saying before he saw her angry glare.

"What things, baka?" She asked while crossing her arms. Then he remembered that he had forgotten to buy her some clothes and that she was just using his clothes borrowed.

"Don't worry! I will buy something for you when we leave." Naruto said while lifting his arms in his defense. Tayuya snorted she was imagining when he would remember to buy her some clothes. She didn't care about using boy's clothes but she still needed some woman things that Naruto couldn't borrow her. Naruto made some seals with his hands and created one clone. He looked at the clone before saying.

"I need to do some stuff before leaving. Pack my things!" Naruto ordered the clone, which started immediately to do just that. Naruto then leaved. Tayuya looked at the messy packing of the clone before lying down on the sofa thinking about what the future held for her.

* * *

The silence in the proximities of the Hokage Tower was suddenly interrupted by a table that was launched from inside the building falling in the street shortly after, luckily nobody was hit by it. The mentor of the offense against the chair, the actual Hokage of Konoha, was staring at the place where the table was, now replaced by all the trash that was on it. Tsunade was pissed and that to say the least. The reason for her not to lose the patience inside the council chamber was because she found in herself the will to control it since if she had lost it not only she would be in trouble but Naruto situation would just be worse. When she started to think about him her face changed immediately. Her anger disappeared replaced for sadness. She felt siting on the ground. The memory of Naruto leaving the council chamber totally miserable came to her mind. She felt guilty for not protecting him when he needed. He reminds her of her brother Dan that like him she also couldn't protect. Her face started to fill with the tears that she had been holding. Putting her head between her legs she continued crying until she was interrupted by the sound of someone coughing. She looked towards the origin of the sound finding her old teammate hanging on the window looking at her. A little embarrassed by the situation she started to stand up.

Jiraiya looked at her for an instant. He knew that in spite of knowing Naruto for a short time Tsunade had grow a strong affection for the boy.

"I guess you already heard?" Tsunade said to him. Jiraiya nodded. He looked at her seeing that she was still visibly shaken.

"It wasn't your fault, Tsunade." Jiraiya said. Tsunade shacked her head. It wouldn't be only his words that would remove her feeling of guilty.

"I should have done something. I should have stopped the hearing." She said.

"The civilian council has autonomy in such cases. There were nothing that you could do to stop the hearing and you know it." Jiraiya argued.

"Nonetheless…, I never hoped that they would get sufficient votes." She said while shacking her head.

"Danzo was skillful. He knew that many councilors in spite of fearing the fox still respected the fourth and were against doing something against Naruto. Because of this they didn't try to banish or execute him." Jiraiya said.

"You are speaking like the punishment that he received wasn't a great deal." She said a little nervous. Jiraiya shacked his head denying it.

"It's not like that. I am as furious as you are because of it. But you have to agree that it could be worse. He could be executed." He argued. Tsunade had to agree to that since many councilors wanted to kill Naruto.

"What we are going to do know?" She asked. He didn't answer because he also didn't know the answer. He had planned a 3 years trip with the boy but now it was impossible. But the worst that Jiraiya could think was that without being a ninja Naruto wouldn't train and he would be defenseless against the Akatsuki threat.

* * *

Iruka impatience arrived at its limit making him throw the blackboard eraser in the direction of one of the students. Thanks to his aim he missed by a couple of inches. The action had the expected result since in that moment the whole class went quiet. Iruka smirked when he saw that he had calmed down the class.

"It seems that I got your attention, so now we can…." Iruka was saying until he noticed someone at the door. This person was Naruto that was just watching the class with a weak smile at his face and it seems that he was there for some time. Iruka felt bad in the minute he saw him, he already had heard about Naruto hearing and in spite not knowing the result of it he had a pretty good idea by looking at Naruto face. Generally Naruto would just interrupt the class but instead he was just watching the class peacefully. After talking with the class he took Naruto to a separated class.

"So, how was it?" Iruka asked fearing the reply. Naruto give a long breath before answering.

"I think I had luck. They only forbade me from being a ninja of this village." Naruto said. Iruka trembled when he said that. After everything thing that Naruto had passed during the academy they did this?

"N-n-naruto, I don't know wha.." Iruka was saying before being interrupted by Naruto.

"You don't need to say anything, Iruka-sensei. I kind accepted the fact already. I didn't came here seeking for console." Naruto said. Iruka looked to Naruto that strangely seemed calm.

"So why did you come?" Iruka asked.

"Do you remember when you give me this?" Naruto asked showing him the object at his hand, a hitai-ite with the symbol of the leaf. He looked at the object and in that moment he trembled.

"Why are you remembering me this?" Iruka asked with tears threaten to fall.

"That was the happiest moment of my life." Naruto said. In this moment Iruka almost tumbled and he started to shed tears. He remembered of how Naruto was happy when he gave him the hitai-ite and know all this happiness was ripped from him.

"Naruto…" Iruka was saying but he couldn't find the words. Naruto moved his hand offering the precious object to him but Iruka rejected shaking his head.

"This is yours, Naruto. I gave it to you. No matter what the others say you will always be a ninja for me." Iruka said. Naruto eyes shed tears and he gave Iruka a strong hug.

"Thanks for everything sensei." Naruto said before moving in the direction of the door. Before leaving he gave one last look behind giving Iruka one small smile. Iruka couldn't contain the feeling that something was wrong.

* * *

Yumi was looking the flowers of the garden in the surrounds of the hospital. Her eyes red of the many tears dropped. When she heard from Shizune about what had happened with Naruto she wanted to go directly towards his apartment to talk with him, but Shizune stooped her saying that he needed some time alone. She just couldn't believe how much some people hated Naruto. How they can hate someone that was always good to everyone. She always considered Naruto as a younger brother. Every time that he got hurt and went to the hospital she was the first to stay with him. And now she couldn't do anything.

"Yumi-chan." Naruto said behind her. She looked behind to see him looking at her with one small smile.

"Naruto-kun." She said with her tears coming back while she embraced him. Naruto hugged her back.

"Everything is fine, Yumi-chan. I am going to be alright!" He said. It was strange she wanted so much to console him, but it was him that was consoling her. The two stayed embraced for a while until he moved.

"Yumi-chan, I just wanted to say thanks for everything you did for me." He said. Yumi looked at him scared.

"What?" She asked not understanding why he was thanking her right now.

"Before knowing you I was terrified of going to the hospital because of the way that I was treated in there. But after knowing you everything changed. You took care of me without asking anything in exchange. Since this moment, every time I went to the hospital I was a little happy because I would at least see you. I always considered you was my big sister." Yumi looked at him with tears at her eyes.

"Well, I need to go. I just needed to say this. Good-bye Yumi-chan." He said and before she could say anything he was gone. She turned back to the flowers. She couldn't take out of her mind that she wasn't going to see him anymore.

Naruto hated have to leave her that way but he had to. The more he talked with Yumi-chan and Iruka-sensei more his doubts about leaving increased. He wanted to leave the quickest possible before he could change his mind. It was for this reason that he wasn't going to visit his friends at the hospital. He knew that if he talked with them there was the risk of someone to find out or of him change his mind. He wanted to talk to Oba-chan, but she was the Hokage so the risk was too much. He hated himself for leaving his friends in this way but he hadn't other choice. There were one last thing that he needed to do it. It was his favorite spot in all Konoha because of both the people and the food. He came near of the ramen stand for the last time.

* * *

Sakura and Hinata almost couldn't believe. They were in the hospital when they both heard what had happened. While most of the Konoha 12 decided to give Naruto some time they couldn't do just that. They both leaved the hospital immediately wanting to do the possible to help their friend.

* * *

Naruto entered at his apartment. He saw that his clone had finished packing his things and was waiting for him. The clone gave him his backpack and disappeared. Naruto give a quick glance inside the bag seeing that the clone ha sealed most of his stuff inside scrolls and putted inside the bag. Naruto then looked at Tayuya that was sleeping at the sofa. He touched her softly in the shoulder waking her up. She left I small yawn.

"Are you ready?" Naruto asked. She nodded. Naruto than grab one object that was inside his pocket, his leaf hitae and with his other hand he grabbed a kunai making a vertical cut on it. Tayuya stared at him with surprise before getting her own hitae, this one with the symbol of sound. Borrowing his kunai she made a similar cut. Both of them looked at each other and nodded. Naruto then grabbed her in the bride style. He gave his apartment a last look before putting a letter that was at his pocket at the table. Quickly he went through the window of his apartment moving quickly thought Konoha roofs being careful for not been seen. In a short time he arrived at the village walls. He looked at his village one last time imaging if he would ever see it again before jumping the wall and moving through the forest.


	5. Naruto First Kill

**A/N:** Thanks for all the reviews, there are really motivating me to continue with this fic. In this chapter is my first combat scene, I hope you like it.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Hinata knocked again at the door and like the other times there was no answer. It has passed half hour since she and Sakura had arrived at Naruto apartment hoping to find him, but unfortunately it seemed that he wasn't there. Hinata was very worried since she knew that Naruto must be very depressed after the punishment that he received. She wanted, more than anything right now to help him, like he had helped her when she was down, by raising her trust.

She looked to the person at her side. Sakura looked as depressed as her, if not more so. It wasn't a secret what Sakura had done with Naruto. Some time before, Hinata wanted to kill Sakura because of what she had done it, but looking at her now Hinata could only feel sorry for her. She was completely shattered, her eyes showing the clearly signs of guilty for what was happening.

"Maybe we should take a look inside." Sakura said while pointing to the open window.

"We shouldn't invade Naruto-kun house like this." Hinata answered. She wanted to make sure if Naruto was okay, but she didn't want to invade his house for this.

"Bullshit, I bet that he wouldn't mind." Sakura said and before Hinata could stop her she had already jumped inside the apartment. Hinata sighed and jumped right behind her.

When they entered the apartment, both discovered that it was completely empty. But it wasn't only that. In spite of both of them never having set foot in his apartment before, it was easy to notice that it appeared to be abandoned. The shelves were empty as well as all of the closets and dressers. Actually the only thing that they could find was one letter over the table. Sakura took the letter and when she read for whom the letter was addressed to she trembled. In the front of the letter it was written, underlined twice 'Oba-chan'. She wanted to open the letter in order to end hers fears, but she knew better. When she looked to Hinata she noticed that she had the same worries that she did. Both of them quickly leaved the apartment going in the direction of the Hokage Tower.

* * *

In the forest in the surroundings of Konoha, going in the direction of the village, two ANBU agents came back from their mission. One of them had an owl mask while the other had a cat mask. The ANBU that was wearing the owl mask turned around to the other asking.

"Are you still troubled for what had happened, Tetsu?" Shikio said while smirking. Tetsu looked at him and grunted, clearly showing his disapproval to his partner.

"You are too nice, Tetsu." Shikio said with a grin.

"You didn't need to do that. It was totally unnecessary." Tetsu said.

"Hehehe, maybe. But it was fun." He said. Tetsu could almost see an evil smirk behind his mask. He cursed his superiors for putting him with this crazy for this mission. During all his life Tetsu always tried to avoid too many risks, but his new partner seemed to delight doing crazy things. His last mission was a very simple one. He should infiltrate in a small village and steal some important documents. The original plan was to make a stealth entry and before anyone noticing them get out of there with the papers. Everything was going fine until his partner decided to disregard the plan and attacked some shinobis without any reason. With a lot of luck they managed to complete the mission and escape the place alive, but not before leaving a bunch of corpses behind. He didn't care about the ninjas that were killed or with the bystanders that were hurt. He wasn't nice like his partner may think but he knew that his superiors would raise hell when they discover how they disobeyed orders.

Tetsu looked again forward, trying to forget of what had happened and thinking on an explanation to give the Hokage if she ever find out about it. Suddenly he saw one orange spot passing between the trees at his side, going in the other way.

"Did you see that?" Asked Shikio. Tetsu nodded.

"Let's see what it is. Maybe is more fun." Shikio said laughing before going in the direction that the spot went. Tetsu shook his head knowing that this mean more troubles ahead.

* * *

Tsunade hands trembled while she read the letter. She must have read that letter a thousand times already, but she still couldn't believe it. How she didn't expect this? She had passed so much time thinking in a way to revert the council decision that she forget to think about what Naruto reaction would be. She read the letter one more time.

_Oba-chan,_

_Sorry for what I am about to do, but I don't see any other alternative. I have decided that if I am not welcome in this village, then I should just leave. Sorry for not telling you about but I know that if I had you would stop me. I ask forgiveness from you and everyone else for leaving the way I did__, but I hadn't any choice. I ask for you not to try to bring me back. I would never be happy in Konoha, but maybe I can find happiness out there. _

_Thanks for everything._

_Uzumaki Naruto. _

Her eyes leaved the letter to stare the both girls on her front. Looking at their eyes she knew that they were aware of what had happened.

"SHIZUNE!" Tsunade screamed. Soon after, Shizune entered the room.

"Find Kakashi now and tell him to come here right away." She said. Shizune nodded and left running of the office.

Tsunade had doubts of what she was about to do. She knew that the council would ask for the death penalty as soon as they found about Naruto desertion. The only one that she trusted to bring Naruto back without the council knowing was Kakashi, but even so she didn't knew if sending him was the best thing to do. She liked Naruto as if he was of her own blood and she wanted the best for him. Was the best for Naruto really at the village? Would he ever be happy here? She didn't know the answer but she would do the possible so that he wouldn't get hurt and at this moment this mean to bring him back before anyone find out.

* * *

Naruto was running the fast he could. It has been a couple of hours since he and Tayuya had left the village and he knew that they weren't out of danger yet. He hadn't any plan and he knew that the minute someone discovered that he had run away the forest would be crowded with ninjas. So for the next couple of days he and Tayuya should be keeping low and he knew some pacific villages at the surrounds that were perfect for that. Actually he wanted to leave the fire country the quickest the possible, but because of Tayuya condition that would be hard to do. She hadn't had the time to see a doctor and he didn't want to postpone this anymore. Also, because of his quick getaway, he couldn't equip himself properly for a long trip and he wanted do this before leaving the fire country.

Naruto thoughts were interrupted by the coming out of two ANBU ninjas. Both of the ANBU stared him, clearly surprised by the redhead in his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Tetsu asked. Naruto gave Tayuya a quick look, trying to see if she had any idea to escape of this situation but she seemed more nervous than he was. He then turned his gaze back to the ANBU.

"We are on a mission." Naruto said, he knew that if they knew about his punishment he would already be attacked. Unfortunately for Naruto his voice couldn't hide his uneasiness so both the ANBU could clearly see that he was lying.

"A mission? What mission is this?" Shikio asked. Naruto thought quickly in what to say, knowing that saying the wrong thing would easily put everything to lose.

"I need to escort this civilian to Suna." Said Naruto.

Tetsu looked at Naruto, what he had said was perfectly acceptable and was probably true, but for some reason he didn't believe any bit of it.

"Where is your hitai-ite?" Tetsu asked. Naruto kick himself mentally for cutting his forehead protector before leaving the village. He never expected to be a trouble. Luckily for him, he had the instinct of not wearing the slashed hitai-ite.

"I lost it in my last mission and I had forgotten to ask for a new one." Naruto replied laughing. Tetsu nodded, it wasn't required for anyone to wear the hitai-ite so he didn't see any problem with his explanation but evens so he still had some doubts.

"Forgive-me, but I am in a hurry." Naruto said proceeding to start to move but before he could give one step a kunai flied at his direction missing by a few inches and getting stuck in a tree nearby.

"Sorry, but I can't let you leave just yet." Shikio said. Tetsu sighed, he also felt that something was wrong, but he would prefer to avoid trouble and just let it go.

"What the hell are you doing? I already said I am on a mission." Naruto said angry.

"You are a bad liar, demon." Shikio said laughing. Naruto gave him a cold stare in the mention of that name. He didn't notice but Tayuya gave the same stare that him.

"I don't know why you are lying, but you aren't going anywhere without telling me the whole true." Shikio said.

Naruto knew at that moment that he hadn't any choice. The more he stayed there talking, the higher were the chances that somebody else found them. He gently laid Tayuya against a tree before turning to the ANBU. Tayuya looked at him worried knowing what was about to happen. She didn't knew how strong Naruto was, but she knew that he should at least be a bit strong since he had defeated Sasuke while he was using the second level of the curse seal. But even so it was two ANBU.

"I don't want to fight you, but you aren't giving me any choice." Said Naruto.

"I take care of this. No matter what happens don't interfere." Said Shikio smirking. Tetsu nodded and got out of the way.

"Do you really think that you can defeat me, demon?" Shikio said while seizing his sword. He still didn't knew the motive to Naruto attack them, but actually he didn't care.

"You shouldn't underestimate me." Naruto said while his hands were forming seals.

"**Shadow Clone Jutsu****" **Naruto said and immediately four clones appeared around him. The clone rushed towards Shikio straight away. Shikio just grinned when he see the clones attack him.

"A waste of time!" Shikio said while cutting the first clone with his sword.

Two others clone tried attacking him, but he jumped back spinning, avoiding easily the attacks. Before falling to the ground he pulled two kunais from his pouch and threw it towards the two clones, hitting both of them that disappeared in a puff.

"Three are gone, only one remains." Shikio said to Naruto while searching for the forth clone.

Suddenly the clone tried attacking him from behind with a flying kick but Shikio just grinned before grabbing the clone feet and throwing him against a tree.

"It is just this that the famous demon can do? I expected more from you." Shikio said and before anyone could react he dashed towards Naruto stoking his sword at his chest. Shikio let go a wide smile but it was quickly gone when he saw Naruto smiling.

"Why are…" Shikio was saying until Naruto became a puff of smoke. Tayuya had a sign of relieve in her face, her heart had almost stopped when she saw Naruto being hit.

"HE IS BEHIND YOU!" Tetsu screamed. Shikio that was still surprised turned around and saw Naruto coming towards him with a blue Chakra ball in his hand. His eyes went wide and he tried to get away but it was too late and in that moment he knew that he was gone to die.

"**RASENGAN" **Naruto cried while thrusting the chakra ball at Shikio chest, tossing him against a tree. Shikio hit the tree with full force before falling to the ground. Tetsu looked at his partner with a petrified face, but he let go a sigh of relieve when he see his body moving.

Shikio slowly stand up still surprised for being alive. He had already heard about the legendary Rasengan and he knew how powerful it was. So how he was alive? That blow should have killed him leaving a hole in his chest but it had barely hurt him. He thought a little and he face showed a large smile when he realize the true.

"You don't have in you, do you kid? You still can't take out a life." Shikio said. Naruto eyes went wide; he had reduced the power of the Rasengan in the hopes of not killing him. He was never thrilled with the prospect of killing someone, especially a leaf ninja.

"Well, it's a shame. You could have killed me with that shot, but know that you won't get another chance." Shikio said before appearing in Naruto front punching him in the stomach. Naruto fell at his knees in pain. Shikio clutch Naruto by his neck lifting him up.

"I will do a favor for the village by getting rid of a trash like you, demon." Shikio said before striking Naruto tossing him far away. Naruto slowly stranded up, cleaning the blood of his mouth. He rushed towards Shikio trying to hit him in the face, but he evaded it easily at the last minute and grabbed Naruto arm. Naruto tried to kick him but he just blocked with the other hand and then launched Naruto towards the ground face first. Naruto tried to stand up, but was stopped by Shikio feet at his back. Shikio then grab Naruto arm and pulled back with strength.

"NARUTO!" Tayuya screamed when she heard his cry of pain for having his arm broken.

"Hehehe! What is demon? Did I hurt you?" Shikio said while laughing loud. He then held Naruto at his feet and lifted his sword ready to give the final blow.

"What the hell are you doing? You already defeated him and the girl is in no condition to fight. Let's just take them in custody back to the village." Tetsu said.

"No! We should have killed this demon a long time ago. I will fix this mistake right now." Shikio said. Tetsu eyes went wide, not believing what his partner was going to do. He didn't care about Naruto, but he knew that killing a leaf shinobi would cause innumerous problems in the village.

"Are you crazy? He is a leaf shinobi, if the Hokage find out…"

"Find out? She will never find out." Shiki said with a smirk.

Shikio started to move his sword downwards in the direction of Naruto head. He was about to hit him when he fell at his knees feeling a strong pain at his back. He turned to see that Tayuya had throw a kunai at his back, the same kunai that he threw against them before. He removed the kunai of his back tossing angrily to the side.

"Your whore! You will regret doing this." Shikio said while slowing moving towards the redhead. Tayuya wanted to move but she couldn't. She couldn't do anything while she saw him approaching her. Shikio lifted her by her neck and punched her hard in the stomach, causing even more damage to the already damaged kunoichi body. She spited a bit of blood and let go a cry of pain with the impact of the punch.

"Want to ask for mercy, bitch?" Shikio said laughing.

"Go fuck yourself, your fucking fag." Tayuya said and soon after spited blood at his face. Shikio cleaned the blood of his face and lifted his hand to punch her again but he was distracted when he felted a strong and evil chakra behind him. He turned back and his eyes widened with the vision that he confronted. It was Naruto, and he was totally different. His eyes were now red like blood, his nails grown becoming claws and around his body a red armor of chakra could clearly be seen with a tail forming behind but the most incredible thing was that his arms was completely healed.

"Leave her alone." Naruto demanded.

"Sure!" Shikio replied, his mask hiding an evil smirk. Shikio drop Tayuya that was completely frozen from seeing what Naruto had became. Shikio then lifted his sword and gave Naruto a last look before moving the sword in the direction of the girl, but before the blade came even near her Naruto appeared at his front holding his hand. Shikio eyes widened when he saw his speed. He couldn't understand how he became so fast. He tried to free his hand, but amazingly Naruto was easily holding it firm. Suddenly Naruto started to crush his hand making him cry from pain and letting his sword go. He tried to hit Naruto with his other hand, but he easily avoided jumping back. Shikio dashed towards him trying desperately to strike Naruto with multiples punches, but Naruto easily avoided all the blows.

"How you became so fast, demon?" Shikio said clutching his fist in Naruto direction that just stared him without answering.

"I will show you bastard." Shikio said while making seals.

"**Fire release: Great Fireball"** Shikio said and shortly after launched a fire ball towards Naruto. Shikio let go a maniacal laugh when he saw the Fire consume Naruto. He stopped laughing when the fire gone out and showed nobody there.

"Where are you?" Shikio asked.

"I am here." Naruto said. Shikio turned to the voice, to see Naruto dashing towards him, once again with the Rasengan at his hand.

"Your basta…" Shikio voice was stopped when he felled I unbelievable pain in his chest. He looked at his chest only to see that this time the Rasengan had hit him full force and went through his chest leaving a hole in it. Tetsu looked frightened with what had happened. How that kid had became so strong?

"Damn you…"Shikio said before Naruto remove his hand of his chest making he fall slowly towards the ground. Naruto looked at Tetsu that jumped back by the evil stare. Naruto kicked Shikio body towards him.

"You have three seconds to leave here, before I kill you too." Naruto said coldly. Tetsu knew that he could never beat Naruto since Shikio was stronger than him and was still easily beaten. He then left, the quickest he could, going in the direction of Konoha carrying his partner body.

When Naruto saw that Tetsu had left he turn off the fox power falling in his knees because of the collateral damage. He looked to Tayuya that had cringed against a tree a bit scared with what she saw. He lowered his head in shame as he knew that she would probably hate him now. Then he felt a hand touching gently his shoulder.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Tayuya asked worried. Naruto looked at her happy that she hadn't rejected him and nodded.

"Is better to we get the fuck out of here." Tayuya said. Naruto stand up and look at his bloody hands, he closed his eyes when the image of he hitting the enemy came to his head. He shook his head making the vision demise. He then grabbed Tayuya knowing that soon they would be hunted by the ninjas of his village.

* * *

It has been nearly half a hour since Tsunade had ordered Kakashi to bring Naruto back and since that moment she stayed at her office waiting impatiently, waiting for any news. She knew very well how critic Naruto situation was. If Danzo ever find out that Naruto had run away, he would have the perfect excuse to punish Naruto with the death sentence. It was because of this that she had asked Kakashi and not another ANBU to look for him.

At this moment a ANBU came into the room. Tsunade recognized him; he was the one with the codename Tetsu. She was surprised with his appearance since his cloths were stained with blood.

"What the hell happened?" Did something go wrong with the mission?" Tsunade asked.

"Hokage-Sama, the mission –pant- was a –pant- success, but..." He said noticeable tired from running.

"But, what?" Tsunade said impatiently.

"We were coming back from the mission, when… We ran into Naruto." Tetsu said. Tsunade eyes widened when he mentioned Naruto.

"Naruto…" Tsunade said, knowing that something had gone terribly wrong.

"He wasn't alone he was with a girl with red hair that appeared to be injured. We knew that something was wrong and questioned him about the reason of him being in the forest, but without any reason he attacked us and then…" Tsunade body trembled, thinking that the blood in his cloth was from Naruto.

"Then what?" Tsunade half screamed wanting to know what had happened.

"Naruto he…, killed Shikio." Tetsu said sadly. Tsunade was taken aback from surprise. Her first reaction was of relief knowing that Naruto was still alive, but then the full notion of what had happened hit her. Naruto had killed a leaf ninja and now there wasn't anything she could do to help him. It was certain that he would be executed in the spot, not mattering the excuse he had it.

"How? Why would Naruto do something like that?" The Hokage asked. Tetsu trembled with the question. He didn't want to tell the Hokage that Shikio had lost the reason out there and tried to kill Naruto even when he was beaten.

" I don't know. We tried not to hurt him, but it was like he was possessed." Tetsu lied. In that moment Tsunade smacked the table with all her force what mad Tetsu jump back.

"DON'T LIE!" Tsunade screamed. She knew Naruto and knew that he wouldn't kill anyone without a good reason.

"I wasn't…" Tetsu was saying when he saw the look on Tsunade eyes.

"Don't try to fool me; I know very well Shikio's reputation. Now, tell me the entire true and maybe I won't be so severe with you." Tsunade argued. Tetsu looked at her and noticed that the threat was true. He breathed deeply knowing that he hadn't another choice. So he started to tell all the facts, even the fact that Shikio was crazy to kill Naruto. When he finished she gave Tsunade a quick glance but when he saw her expression he immediately lowered his head. He knew that he was in deep trouble.

"Damn you. If it wasn't for you…" Tsunade was saying before being interrupted by the sound of the door opening to show Danzo. Tsunade looked at him angry because of the interruption before turning back to Tetsu.

"This isn't finished." She said and made a gesture for him to leave. After Tetsu left the room, Tsunade turned to Danzo.

"I guess you heard." She said knowing that she couldn't hide anymore this situation. Danzo nodded.

"One of the guards of the gate had a brief conversation with Tetsu when he appeared carrying the body of his partner." Danzo said.

"What do you want, Danzo?" Tsunade asked angrily.

"You know very well what I want. Naruto not only disobeyed the orders of the council but he also killed a shinobi of this village. He is from now on a missing nin and you a obligated to take immediate action against him." Danzo said.

"No. I will do nothing against him." Tsunade answered.

"WHAT? You can't protect him. He isn't a shinobi of this village anymore; you can't let him walk freely out there." Danzo argued.

"Exactly, he isn't a shinobi of this village anymore. It was you people from the council that did this, wasn't it? And how you already know only a ninja can be considered a missing-nin. Therefore because Naruto is just a civilian that commit a crime I am not obligated to do anything." Tsunade said with a smile at her face. Danzo frowned as he knew that she had reason. Civilian criminals weren't considered big threats and so weren't a priority.

"Very well, you are right, but even if he is a civilian, you can't stop someone from taking the matters on his own hands." Danzo said with a smile of his own. Tsunade looked at him angrily.

"Until later, Hokage-sama." Danzo said before leaving. Tsunade knew that Danzo would try something against Naruto and that officially she couldn't do anything since helping a criminal was a crime. Tsunade thought about the situation until she remembered something that had passed unnoticed for her. Tetsu told that Naruto wasn't alone and that were a redheaded girl with him. Until that moment she hadn't the slightest idea of who that girl was, until she remembered something.

"SHIZUNE!" Tsunade called. Shortly after her assistant appeared came running into the room.

"I need to speak with Shikamaru right now."

* * *

Danzo looked well to the ninja at his front. A young men in his twenty and few years, he was wearing a traditional ANBU vest but without the mask, his grey hair was long and went until his shoulder. He was one of Danzo best men and he would be perfect for this job.

"Akira, I have a important mission for you. I need you to hunt a civilian." Said Danzo.

"A civilian?" Akira asked not showing any visible reaction, but surprised to receive a weak mission.

"It isn't a normal civilian. His name is Naruto Uzumaki also known as the bearer of the fox of nine tails." Danzo said. If Akira had any emotions he would had showed at this moment, but he already had fully suppressed them a long time ago.

"A Jinchuriki? Do you really think that I can take care of him by myself?"Akira asked.

"Sure, you are one of the strongest shinobi of this village and also even if he is a Jinchuriki he still doesn't know how to use the full power of the demon." Danzo alleged.

"Here it is all the information that you are going to need it." Danzo said while delivering one folder to him.

"Ah, I forgot! It seems like he is not traveling alone. I don't want anyone to know that I send one of my own ninjas against him; this would only bring me trouble, so no witness. Do you understand?" Danzo asked. Akira nodded and took the folder disappearing from his sight soon after. Danzo could only smile, knowing that it would be the end of certain demon.

* * *

In a restaurant inside Konoha one young man waits on a table. He looks twenty years old had short black hair. He was wearing a dark blue cloak that covered all his body and a part of his face letting only his black eyes visible. He was waiting impatiently, hitting his fingers at the table waiting for his meeting. Finally a man also wearing a cloack but his face was completed concealed by a hood, entered the restaurant and sat near him.

"Nice to see you, Ryouji." Said the man that had just entered. When Ryouji saw what his friend was wearing he laughed out loud.

"You really don't want to be recognized, don't you?" He said. The man simply just glared him.

"I can't risk be recognized. Nobody can know that I asked this mission. " He argued while delivering Ryouji a photo. Ryouji give a quick glace what the photo, it was a picture of Naruto.

"So this is the objective?" Ryouji said and then crushed the photo with his hand. The man just nodded.

"Something else that I need to know, before I accept this mission?" He asked while he started to drink from a glass that was at his front.

"I heard that he isn't traveling alone. He is traveling with some girl and I believe she is a shinobi from sound." He said. Ryouji looked at him a little alarmed.

"Orochimaru?" He asked while the man just nodded.

"Do you think she will complicate the mission?" Ryouji asked.

"I don't know. I don't have any information about her, but from what I have heard she is very injured. So I don't think she will be any trouble for you, but if she is…" The man said not needing to finish the sentence. Ryouji just laughed.

"I didn't say I would take this mission." He said.

"Why not? With what I am paying you should take this mission without thinking twice." The man argued.

"Yes, it really is a lot of money, but this mission will bring a lot of trouble and I already have enough money for living fine. So if you want to me accept this mission I will need more motivation than this." He said and then returned to drink from his glass. The man looked at him knowing that he was stubborn enough to reject the mission because of this.

"And if I said that this is a personal favor." He said. Ryouji chuckled when he said that.

"Almost all your missions are a personal favor. Why should this be any different?" He asked.

"Well, the father of this kid was Minato Namikaze." The man said in a serious face. Ryouji stopped laughing and look him speechless, certain that he would take the mission.

* * *


	6. Tayuya Uncertain Future

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**Tayuya Uncertain Future**

Naruto continued to gaze at the ceiling of the room, lost in his mind. He and Tayuya were now in a inn some miles away from Konoha. He supposed it was better to spend the night in an Inn instead of passing the night at the open ground. He felt that he and Tayuya would have a better night of sleep if they slept in a warm and soft bed and maybe they could forget the events of the last day.

This may have been working for the kunoichi who was, at that time, sleeping like a angel on the bed at his side while he, on the other hand, who was until that moment trying to sleep on the floor, still had not managed to fall asleep at all. But he couldn't blame her. It was his idea to let her sleep in the bed in the first place, despite her insistence against it since she thought he was treating her like a defenseless lady. But thinking better, the reason that he had yet to fall asleep had nothing to do with the fact that he was sleeping on this cold floor. He had slept in far worse places than this dirty old floor before and on that moments he had slept like a baby.

The problem was the thoughts that didn't want to get out of his head. His life, as he knew it, was over. He knew that now. After the events of the last day, he knew that he could never return to his former old life. He never again would be with the people that he regarded as special. "Obaa-chan, Yumi-chan, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-Sensei, ero-Sennin and all the others of his friends, he never would see them ever again.

Even if by any chance of luck he met with some of them somewhere, he wouldn't be able to get even near them. If he did, then they would be forced to attack him, because from that moment on he was considered an enemy of the village. An enemy of the village. Just like Orochimaru and Itachi. He shivered on that words, but that wasn't far from the truth, was it? He hadn't realized what escaping from the village really meant moments before, but now he does. At first he imagined that as soon as he was strong enough he would return to his village to show his own strength, to show them how much he grew without them, to show them what they had lost when they banned him, but that idea died when he killed that ANBU ninja.

The scene was still stuck deep into his mind. He could remember all the vicious details. He with his fist inside the enemy body while the enemy gave his last gasps. He had never killed anyone before. He was not naive enough to think that it would never happen or that he could somehow avoid it for his whole life. He knew that if he really wanted to be a ninja he would have to learn how to kill someone soon or later. He only didn't expect that his first one would be a ninja of the leaf or that it would come with such easy.

One thing that really was troubling him, that was really keeping him awake, was that when he killed him. When the ANBU stopped breathing and fell dead on the floor … He liked it. He loved the feeling of power and the rush of adrenaline that came to him on that moment and for a few seconds, which for him seemed an eternity, he wanted to kill the other one too just for the pleasure of it, but for some reason he had managed to calm himself down. Perhaps it was Tayuya's terrified face or maybe it was his own conscience asking him to calm down before it was too late. It doesn't really matter, what it really matters is that he stooped just in time.

Another thing that was troubling him is that he didn't know if he was or not under some sort of influence by the fox when he slew that ninja. He was so furious when he saw that ninja attacking Tayuya that he didn't even think about what he was doing. At the time he only wanted to protect her and the only way that he found at the time was by giving himself to the fox. He knew that what he had done was justified and he didn't regret doing so, but he did not know exactly if his decision of killing the ninja was entirely his own or if the fox had some kind of influence over him. Immersed in his own thoughts he hardly noticed the light of the sun appearing between the cracks of the ceiling. It was already morning. He had spent the whole night awake.

"Cough, Cough"

Naruto looked to his side to realize that Tayuya had just awaken and by the way she looked she wasn't very well. In fact it seemed that all the motion of the last day had only worsen her already critical situation. She was sitting up on the bed with one hand lightly pressing on her stomach and the other over her mouth while she coughed violently. This made him remember the words spoken by Yumi, that the situation of the kunoichi was more critical than it first seemed.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked worried.

"I am fine, stop worr... Cough. Cough" she was trying to say when she was interrupted by another cough crisis, this one much worse than the first. Naruto approached her not knowing exactly what to do. The coughing kept going and it seemed to only get worse until suddenly it stopped. Naruto eyes widened when she moved her hands away from her mouth and small drops of blood fell onto the bed. It was not necessary for him to be an expert in medicine to know the seriousness of her situation. Naruto was now regretting being so impatient and leaving without seeing Yumi.

"You must see a doctor immediately." argued Naruto. Tayuya that was until that moment thoughtful examining the blood on her hand turned to him.

"Hell no! Are you crazy?" She said with a hoarse voice. "We should be keeping low right now or have you forgotten shithead that we are being chased by your entire fucking village!" She tried to scream but her throat gave away, letting go only a low and weak voice. Clearly showing the damage in her throat.

"I know it's risky, but what other choice do we have? If you don't see a doctor right now you can die!" Naruto said. Tayuya looked at him, his fear was clearly present in his voice,. She stopped to think about a little, she didn't want to die but she didn't want to do something that would jeopardize their situation either. But as Naruto said, it wasn't as if they had much choice anyway She let go a sigh of surrender and nodded lightly. Naruto showed a smile convincing her and began forming seals with his hands. Soon after a kage bushin appeared at his side.

"I will see if there is any medic in this village but I will leave him here to protect you." Naruto said and soon after jump out of the window before Tayuya could say anything to him. She hated the fact that she needed someone to protect her. She stare at the clone that was at that moment looking at the door and watching it.

'At least I'll be able to sleep in peace' she thought soon after colapsing on the bed.

* * *

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at Shikamaru. She couldn't believe in what she had just heard.

"Then let me see if I got the facts straight. You had a certain feeling that Naruto was hiding something about the girl of the sound and you didn't tell me anything?" she said while speaking to last part louder, showing exactly how much furious she was at him.

Shikamaru swallowed hard, he had decided not to tell her anything about his suspicions towards Naruto and he didn't know exactly why he did that. At the moment it seemed the right thing to do. He scratched his head thinking in what to say to her but even with his high IQ, he couldn't think of anything that would help him at the moment.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Tsunade inquired again. Shikamaru sighed, that was too much troublesome.

"I was really not sure of anything, I said I only had a feeling and I didn't think it was wise to do something with only speculations and no proves. " Shikamaru said hoping that Tsunade would believe him.

What he said was obviously a very poor excuse for his actions. It was not uncommon for ninjas to act with less then they knew or act purely on gut instinct, but to speak the truth Shikamaru hadn't any good excuse for his actions, he simply had an instinct to keep quiet, maybe it was just a sense of loyalty towards Naruto. Maybe it was something else.

Tsunade stared at him already knowing that he was trying to escape with foolish lies. She was furious with him, but not only with him. She was furious with everyone responsible even if a little for her godson defection from the village. At that moment she was trying her best to add all the facts together, discovering everyone responsible and then punishing every last one of them to the limit of the law. She knew that she couldn't do anything against Danzo or the council so she only wanted to relieve her frustration in someone and in that exact moment Shikamaru was in right in front of her.

"Do you understand what you did? That girl was probably the one that convinced Naruto to escape from the village and now she is probably taking him to Orochimaru." Tsunade argued angry.

"I do not think that that was what happened. I even understand that she would want to leave the village as soon as possible, but why would she take Naruto along with her? And why Naruto would accept to join Orochimaru after everything that happened? "Shikamaru said.

Tsunade could only agree with his statement, but what other explanation would be? Why would Naruto run away with someone from another village? And especially someone from the village of sound, the main enemy of Konoha? She knew that Orochimaru would love to have a Jurinki in his midst. What if Naruto joined Orochimaru seeking revenge on Konoha. She shivered thinking about it but soon throw the thought aside. Not Naruto. Not the young boy she knew, he would never do that. On that moment Shizune entered the room.

"Hokage-sama, Yumi-san is here to see you." Tsunade nodded. She wanted to talk to all the people who were close to Naruto, gather all the facts and try to understand the situation better, before making her next decision. It had just been a few hours since Kakashi had returned just having heard of the fight between Naruto and the ANBU. She knew it was too late to bring Naruto back now, but maybe if she knew more about the situation, she could help him somehow.

"Hai Hokage-sama" Yumi said as she came into the room. Her face was visually shaken indicating that she already knew what had happened.

"Apparently you have heard?" Asked Tsunade. Yumi gave a slight nod that was nearly too weak for anyone to notice.

"So you already know why you're here, right? Do you know something important? Anything at all, that would help us figure out why and how Naruto have fled the village? "Tsunade asked. Yumi stood still for a while. Not thinking about the question, but having a hard time believing that this was really happening. She would never have believed that Naruto, someone she considered as a brother, would actually run away. Finally she paid attention to the question and it was not long for her to remember something important.

"Well I do not know if it matters, but a day ago Naruto was asking some medical advice. I think he was trying to help someone who was injured and he did not want anyone to know, especially you. "Said Yumi ashamed for hiding this information. Tsunade's eyes widened.

"And you did not tell me anything?" Tsunade inquired angrily. Yumi just looked down embarrassed.

"I promised him I wouldn't tell." Said Yumi. Tsunade took her hand to her head. Why is it that whenever Naruto makes something stupid everybody around him covers it up.

To Tsunade all points were now connected. She knew that the sound ninja was badly injured and now with this new information she had finally understood what happened. Naruto had found a wounded enemy ninja and rather than tell her about it, he just decided to take care of her himself. She shook her head in disappointment, she never thought that Naruto would be so stupid or so naive to do something like this.

"Damn if you both had said something to me before we could have prevented him from leaving." Tsunade said with anger, staring at both of them. She knew what had happened, Naruto with his naivety had helped that girl of the sound and she used him to take him to the village of sound as a present for Orochimaru, but she would do everything humanly possible to prevent this from happening.

* * *

Akira touched several crushed leaves that were on the ground. Someone had gone through here and he was running. He kept looking around for more clues that he could use to track his target. Tracking was a basic ninja skill, but few were so skillfully as he. There were two drawbacks in this case, the first was that the target had passed through here more than twenty-four hours ago and to make things worse it rained heavily the night before. The other drawback was that the target was a highly trained ninja and so he knew how to move without leaving any kind of tracks. Besides the more time he spent here, looking for clues, more time the target would have to change his own location and because he was a trained ninja he would do that often enough. It would possibly take weeks to find the target, maybe even months.

In these situations the village would usually use trained tracking dogs, but he could not ask the help from anyone, especially Kakashi. The chances of someone finding their target under these conditions were very remote, but not for someone skillfully as him, for him the chances were much higher. Akira noticed a log at his side. It had a crunched mark nearly imperceptibly, as if someone had stepped on it. On the side of the log there was a tiny drop of blood. He continued to follow the trail.

Not far away, a man was leaning against a trunk. Looking closely the steps of the tracker. He knew that Danzo would most likely send his best men after Naruto and possibly this person would have remarkable tracking skills. Perhaps better than his own. So the best way to find the target was simply follow him and then he only needed to get him out of the way to fulfill his mission.

* * *

Tayuya shuddered when she felt the touch on her legs. Her first instinct was to punch the bastard on the face, but she refrained of doing so. Naruto had a great trouble in finding a doctor that agreed to treat her without making any kind of questions and it wouldn't be very practical to kill him, at least not before he made his diagnosis.

She looked at the doctor, he looked around his sixty's and was most likely an ex ninja since he had a ability to manipulate chakra. Beside him his nurse looked at her with an irritated look on her face, she probably didn't like the kindly nickname that she had been called. The bitch problem thought Tayuya maliciously.

Across the examination room, Naruto looked at her attentively. The doctor had asked him to wait outside, which he bluntly refused. He didn't want Tayuya to be alone with people she didn't trust.

The doctor finished his examination and moved his hands away from her legs, for Tayuya's relief. The doctor looked at her with a thoughtful look on his face before pulling a cigarette from his pocket and hurried to light it. Tayuya mentally cursed him, thinking in what kind of doctor smoked in front of his patients.

"Well I have a good news and a bad one." The doctor said. Tayuya trembled knowing that the doctor was just trying to prepare her for the worst.

"I did cure many internal injuries in your abdomen region. That means that you are not at life risk anymore, but just to be safe you should not try to move around for the next few days. Actually you were very lucky. I do not know how you managed to survive with this type of injury for so long. Your arm will also be good, it didn't break or anything and it will probably be good in no time. "

Tayuya let go a sigh of relieve knowing that at least her life was no longer at risk, but she knew that he still didn't tell her the bad news yet.

"Now in relation to damage to your legs, I was able to treat a large share of the damage on your legs and you probably will get out of here tomorrow with the help of a crutch, but unfortunately this will be the limit for you. I am afraid to tell you this but your legs will never heal completely again, the damage was far too great. I am sorry! "The doctor said.

Tayuya's face whitened at once . If she didn't have the full capacity of her legs she would never be able to fight again and this meant that her days as a shinobi were over. What would she do now? She felt her chest tremble. It would be better if the doctor told her she would die after all. She would prefer to die than be a cripple for the rest of her life.

In the other side of the room Naruto also had a frightened look on his face. He knew the damage on her legs were great but he never expected it could be permanent. He looked at her eyes and realized something he had noticed it the first time he had seen her. The same look she had when she asked him to kill her when they first meet. A look of someone who had lost their reason to live. He was trying to think what to say to cheer her up until he was interrupted.

"You fucking shitty doctor, where the fuck you earned your damn diploma, by the fucking mail?" Tayuya said, suprising everyone except Naruto was with a small smile on his face.

"If this is your fucking medical opinion I should have asked for shithead there to examine me," She said nodding towards Naruto "he at least would have done a better job." Tayuya said smirking

"Look, I know it's hard, but the truth is..." The doctor was saying.

"SHUT UP, Your stupid fucking doctor. Who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do? I promise you, I'll walk normally again even if I have to risk my life to do it. Do you really think that just because of some minor injuries I'll give up my fucking life. "She said. Her eyes full of emotion, tears threatening to go out. She then did the unexpected and started to stand.

"Wait a minute you are still not in condition …"

"I have already told you to shut your fucking mouth? Fucking Trash." She said. She took the crutches that were on her side and moved her legs to the side to the side of the examination table. The moment her first foot touched the ground she felt a huge stab of pain, but she ignored it. After placing her other foot on the ground she started to stand. She felt a great stab of pain on both her legs and for a minute she was out of balance and almost fell. Naruto instinctively ran to catch her, but she alone was able to maintain balance. Tayuya aware of his movement warned him, just with a glare, that she didn't needed any help, she didn't want any help. She did not want to look weak, not right now, not after her speech.

Slowly she moved towards the door, pain clearly stamped on her face. Each step was more difficult than the last one. After much effort she finally reached the door, giving a hard and cold glare towards the doctor before leaving.

"Well I think that's all." Naruto said as he handed the money to the nurse, a little embarrassed for the colorful vocabulary of his companion.

Soon after handing over the money he left the office quickly realizing that Tayuya was slowly moving towards the establishment where they were.

Her steps were slow and at each step the pain increased severely. It was like a weight on her leg and at every step the weight would increase, becoming increasingly more difficult to move. In a moment she thought she would faint from the shear pain on her legs, even so she kept going without giving up. Finally, her legs could not take it anymore and she fell on her knees. At that moment she realized that not everything she said would be true. She would not go back to walk just because she wanted to. No matter how much she wished she might never heal completely. Tears threatened to come out from her eyes. Her fall only showed how weak she was and she began to doubt her own words. Perhaps she would never walk again.

"I believe in you." She heard a voice behind her. Looking back she noticed that Naruto was behind her.

"What?" She asked.

"I said I believe in you. I know you will walk again. "Naruto said.

Tayuya gave him slight smile and slowly began to stand with her spirits renewed. Naruto didn't tried to help her, in the few days he came to know her he realized that she would hate his help. She hated to feel useless. If he tried to help her, it would only leave her more depressed about her own condition. She began again to move slowly. She noted that Naruto was walking with her at the same slow pace. The pain was still strong, and almost unbearable, but she knew that at least she was not alone.


End file.
